quiltys41

{IRL...I have been down ill for awhile, just getting back to the keyboard. Sorry for the delay!} Well, seems so much to think about here now before we leave on the last leg of our journey. It's crunch time. Do we really have the stones to do this thing or is it time to turn around now? I have to wonder which right now since we got a letter from the kids in the mail packet that came. They had to bug out from where they were living to our old place in TN. At least they arrived there safe after a few minor "bumps in the road" which they didn't explain to mom! So now we know where they are, but they can never know where we are at. Sad for this mom/grandma to do, but they refused to come with us even after many discussions. At least we did get them to agree to go to our old house and get with our friends who stayed behind to help them with anything they may need. But, do we let our friends do what is rightly our job and go on to safer times? I believe we will go on as planned and leave the rest in God's hands. He will watch over them and I will continue to pray for all those we left behind. One thing that really touched me was when Mr. Rock was speaking tonight and everyone here grabbed hands with one another. I cried, but they were happy tears. Knowing that with all we had come through so far, that we were all becoming a different kind of "family" than the one I had left behind. That we have those bonds forming that let me know these people are ones that I will be able to count on in good times and in bad when we get to our new homestead. I look forward to caring for them all. Bringing forth new lives, helping to ease out the old and caring for those in between. It will be an honor. Glad now that we got our supplies for the most part, in that last town. I hate that so much of what people ordered didn't get here for them. But then sometimes we seem to forget just how bad things are getting out there in the world. It's amazing we are able to get anything at all shipped to us. At least we have our seeds to start our garden with. That is our big blessing. And we have our chickens which are still laying good for us. Hey, two eggs a day in this weather isn't too bad! I am going to go get a shower (yipeeeee, a hot shower!!!!!!!!! ) and grab a bbq plate and head back here to the wagon. I think I will go to sleep tonight, clean, full and dreaming of our 80 acres and what we want to do with it. Good night all and God bless... Q

Oh me what a ride! Well that old saying about the red sky at morn? Turned out true once again. I guess those old timers had a reason for saying that lol. Not long after we got packed up, it started raining. Hubby got out the old canvas covers for the chicken cages and got those put on so they would stay somewhat dry. One of the bungee cords came off the rooster cage so the boys got wet when the canvas went to flapping in the wind that was coming off the storms. And man what storms! It's been a long time since I saw rain come down in sheets like that! If you would have had empty 5 gallon buckets lined up outside, they would have filled in a half hour at least! I'm hoping now that we stopped to put one or two under the edges of the wagon for some animal water and some to boil for coffee over the Coleman stove in the morning...anyway, back to the storms... Hubby had to take over driving the team for me. I had a tough time with the oxen being spooked from the thunder and lightning. They wanted to do the opposite of what I was trying to get them to do. And with the chickens clucking like mad, the roosters crowing to beat the band...that sure didn't help matters any. I felt like a dunce sitting up there on the wagon seat in the pouring rain yelling at those dumb oxen! Soaking wet to the skin and about to bust into tears, the hubby had pity on me and took over, saying that it was going to take a lot more strength than I had in me to drive this team right now. It stung, but he was right. Some days I forget I am not as strong as I once was and that I do have some limitations. In other words...I forgot I wasn't normal again lol. But even he had trouble with them in the mud that was churning with all the rain and where the wagons before us had been and the animal tracks too. Made quite a mess to try and navigate through. And if that wasn't bad enough, the wind started to pick up more, driving the rain that much harder. It felt like it was going right through my clothes and my skin to the very core of me. If I had to guess I would have said it was a cold front. One of those that try to grab onto winter and bring it back around one more time before it finally warms up for the rest of the spring time. It got cold too. I feel like I am freezing...but back to the rain story lol. Well hubby was doing his best to get the team to work as he was asking them too, but they seemed distracted by something off on the horizon. So I jumped down off the wagon and into the mud as gracefully as I could, landing butt first in almost knee deep mud. UGH. I slipped around trying to get up till you would have thought I was mud wrestling trying to get up out of that mess. But get up I did and went to the front of the team and tried to help the hubby guide them along. I did manage to fix the canvas on Roo and Ster Jr. while I was out and in the mud lol. I think they appreciated it since they quit crowing. The little stinkers. Anyways, we had a wagon two up from us get stuck in the mud. It was hard trying to navigate around it being so close to the others and slipping in all the mud that was getting worse all the time. I kept an eye out for him as he carefully got the wagon going around the one that was stuck and I wanted so bad to stop and pull them out, but there wasn't a place to stop without getting stuck ourself. So now what? We can't just leave them there right? We can't go on and leave a wagon behind, not with the wolf following us. Where there is one, my thought is there is probably at least one or two more...I got to worrying about the livestock then and the people. Didn't seem normal for a wolf to follow us along, or was it? But I lost track of what I was doing and fell in the mud again lol. But now I am soaked, full of mud and starting to shiver. I grabbed a bucket from the side of the wagon, turned it right side up and let it start to fill up. I knew I would need it soon to wash up with. As soon as the second wagon got stuck, that was it, we circled the wagons and put the livestock in the middle to try and corral them some and give them a feeling of some safety. And it seems to have worked. While they are beginning to calm down and not all of them now have their butts pointed the same direction, I am thinking the storm is about over. Ever notice when a bad storm is coming how all live stock will point their butts in the direction the storm is coming from? Yep (IRL too!) so if you ever see a herd doing that, you can tell which way it will come from before it even hits. And, if they all do that and are under cover of trees, etc...watch it. It will be a doosey! Last time I saw animals do that, we had a tornado (IRL too...came within a 1/4 mile of our house...in the country, that's too close!) and it was from a front not to unlike this one. I suppose we got pretty lucky in that we didn't have to deal with that too. There was NOWHERE to go or hide if we did. And had we stuck to the gully like I had wanted to, we would be axle deep in mud right now. Good thing someone nixed that idea! So we got stopped and circled with the rest of the wagons, the oxen unhitched and put in the circle too. I untied that bucket of water from the side of the wagon and took it in. I had to do some fast re-arranging to make enough room for the two of us to have a place to sit down to eat and to sleep in. I did manage to get washed up with a spit and a promise out of the bucket after hubby did his sponge bath. I let him go first since he was in no way as muddy as I was lol. Nice of me huh? Actually, I had ulterior motives. Since he was done first, he got the Coleman stove out and got it going. I hate that thing. Propane scares the heck out of me. Don't know why, it just does lol. So he put our small coffee pot on and a pot of water to boil for the rice we were planning on having tonight. I got washed up and dug out a pair of clean jeans and a sweater and tee shirt. That ought to warm me up some. And if it doesn't the coffee surely will. I dumped the dirty wash water outside the back of the wagon and left the bucket out there to collect some more water for the animals in the morning. When I peeked out there, it seemed like the rain was down to a drizzle now. But it is so cold! Inside the wagon, it's staying a little warm with the stove going, but I am digging out the quilts for tonight and putting the sleeping bags down to lay on top of too. Between all that, we should stay warm. And no doubt will wake up in the night with dogs on us too lol. Good thing they ride well. If they had been out in the mud, I don't know if I would have let them in the wagon like that. But with the wolf out there, I would rather have them in with us than out with that going on. Anyways, rice and teriaki deer was on the menu for tonight and we did get some made on the little two burner stove. Not too bad, but I just wasn't that hungry tonight. I was more tired and cold than anything. But I ate what I could to keep the strength up and then we took care of the dishes and put the stove out. I didn't want to use it any more than we had to knowing we would more than likely need it in the morning too. And who knew how long those little canisters of propane would last us? We kept the coffee, deciding just to warm up that half a pot in the morning instead of wasting any of it. Should be good and stout by then! Well, best get some rest now. Going to be a long day tomorrow checking over livestock, getting wagons unstuck and getting ready to head out again. I do imagine by the time we get all that done, we wont be going anywhere tomorrow. Might be a good idea to give the land a day to dry out. But then we will have to be on the look out for that wolf too. Night all... Q

Is it morning already? Oh my, what a night! Seems we had a prowler about last night and it started coming after Mt.R! She had to shoot to get it to stop advancing on her, which woke the camp and we came running to see if she was okay. And she is thankfully, but it is a good reminder that out here in the wilds, none of us should be going unarmed and the children should be accompanied at all times by an adult who is armed. I know that is now our new reality. And not one that we can stop using when we arrive at our destination. It's permanent. We are all just glad she could stop the animal with a warning shot. I do wonder what it was. Doesn't sound like any coyotes that I have ever heard of from where we were living. Black? That sounds more like a wolf than a coyote! And the further west we go the more of them we will run into. The country isn't as wide open for them as it used to be and their territory is shrinking, so stands to reason we will see more of them out in the country. Well I have a covered pan of biscuits baking over the fire. I think we will use some of the country ham I brought and I will fry up those eggs from last night and make a couple of sandwiches for breakfast with them. Then peanut butter and honey biscuits for lunch. That's one of my favorites and one of the reasons why my waistline is expanding again lol. I can't help it. I love all three and I work hard, so I figure I can splurge once in awhile. I'm not sure about dinner yet. I am getting pretty tired of beans so I imagine I will have to make some rice and maybe open another jar of my canned meats...have to look and see what's back there but I think I brought along a couple of jars of teriaki deer. That would be nice over some rice and maybe a pint jar of some chopped tomatoes to go with. I love just eating them as a side dish. A little pepper and I'm all set! We need to start eating some more greens, so I will be on the look out for some dandelion greens to cook up later on. Good thing I brought some vitamins to help us through until the garden comes in and a little beyond jik. Coffee is ready, so going to take some to the hubby and have a cuppa myself and then go on a walkabout the camp. Best make sure I have things all packed away first. I wonder if I should take Michael back his triangle?? Hey, what's with the red sky this morning? If I remember it right...red sky at night sailors delight, red sky at morn, sailor take warn...since I'm a Navy brat, maybe I should take this as a warning and lash things down tighter than normal. Still, it's really funny looking...wonder if we will have some strong storms later? I hate thunderstorms anyways. Living in Tornado Alley as a child did it to me. We went through so many storms as a child that I thought we lived in the basement every spring. Lots of tornado's too. Let's hope we don't have any of those in store for today. But I am afraid that the color of that sky is telling us otherwise. Maybe a good idea to find one of those gulley's and camp out in it for the day? If the sky clouds up it wouldn't be a bad idea. There just aren't any other options out here in the wilds to hide a wagon or any place else to keep folks safe at. And I am mostly thinking of the kids here. I would hate to see us get hit and anyone get hurt. Oh it's all just speculation on my part for now anyways. I am going to pray for smooth traveling today for us all. Q

Oh ouch and thank goodness for that pillow! I am so stiff and so sore that I just want to skip dinner and lay down on a quilt thrown into the back of the wagon. Forget the tent. Just throw me the sleeping bag and I will lay it down and cover with the quilt. Hubby isn't any better off than I am with his severe rheumatoid arthritis. I have to thank God that He gives us the strength to go on every day. It has to be His doing because on our own, I don't think we would do it. This is so much harder than I thought it would be, just so much harder! I don't know what I really thought it would be like. Little House on the Prairie maybe? But they made it look soooo easy on TV. I have aches where I didn't know you could have them! But I did manage to get up and get that pot of beans over the fire that some very thoughtful person had started up already. Thank you so much to who ever it was! So at least we had some beans with some pork in it that I had canned up and brought along. It took a lot of salt to get it tasting worth anything. That or my body is craving salt. With the temperatures starting to rise as it warms up, there will be a lot of that happening. I just hope everyone packed enough away. With those hot springs where we are going there may be a good chance that there is salt there or very near by it. I hope so since salt is so important to the body and you cannot live without it! Just think, every time you sweat, you loose salt. And it has to be replaced. You can't go on without that and I am sure the benefactors would provide it if needed, but the point of this is for us to become self-sufficient, not to keep depending on a benefactor to provide. Be it our own or the .gov. It's all the same if you look at it. And I am done with depending on others. It only leads to slavery to someone. You become a slave to the .gov, a slave to working for a living to pay them back (think student loans, taxes, etc...). But who's to say after too much longer if there will even be a .gov to pay back? Ah..the things I think about when stirring a pot of beans! LOL Well hubby and I have been talking as we go along the trail. We are trying to work out the details of how we want to set up our homestead. It has to be workable, defensible and we want it old people friendly lol...meaning NO stairs if possible. Not even on the front porch. And we are thinking low counters in the kitchen too jik one of us ends up in a wheelchair. If the counters are lower, say 4', then it would make it easy to fix food and still function in the kitchen. And I want a bed made from the local wood. Maybe logs themselves for the posts and the sides. Slats cut from logs around the homestead. And I wouldn't even mind a feather mattress, but I have to pluck a lot of geese or chickens for that. I don't think the chickens would work, so scratch that hehehe... Well dinner is done and I am just laying here in the wagon on the little pallet I made up for the hubby and myself. Just looking back on the day I forgot to tell you that our hens are laying again! I got three eggs this evening...so maybe all the jostling around today shook out a couple of eggs from them? Okay I have to stop writing and get some sleep. I hope I can get up out of the wagon in the morning. It probably wont be too graceful lol. Just as long as I can get up and get some coffee going, I'll be happy. Good night all and God bless... Q

Oh it's a pretty day today! Started out good too with some wonderful coffee supplied by Annarchy with some great whole milk from Mother! Oh I do love raw whole milk and I miss having it for cooking and well just drinking cold too. I think we have everything ready as the hubby hooks up the oxen team. I found my "butt" pillow for the wagon seat. You know that thing gets hard after about a half an hour lol. So sitting in it all day long sure makes for one sore behind by the time we stop in the evening. It's just a little pillow I had sewn up with some old batting stuffed into it so I could get it used up. Now I am glad I made it! :wink (2): Oh and while we are on pain in the behind things I am going to find that triangle thingy of Michaels and hide it! Naw, I just hate mornings. I always worked second and third shifts. Always. So it is just killing me to get up so dern early in the mornings! But since we will be building and working by daylight only for a long time, I do suppose I should get used to mornings. Okay, I guess we are ready to leave now, all is packed away and the oxen are hitched up. Just waiting on someone to give the "Wagons Ho!" and we will be off. I have my cast iron dutch oven secured with some beans soaking in warm water and wrapped tightly with quilts and I put a quilt on the top of it and a couple of nested cast iron skillets to hold the lid on tight. I hope it works or we will have beans everywhere when we hit those gulley's! I'll make a pan of cornbread to go with when we stop for the night in that little fire. It should be good enough if we all take turns using it. I got to wondering if we would all pull our resources and maybe make a couple of very large pots of beans to share with everyone...maybe that would save someone some of their supplies, cut down on the number of fires we need and help those with little children not have to cook every night we stop? It's a thought anyways... Well I am having fun riding along in the wagon and watching the scenery change as we get away from the towns. But I'm like Mother, I can't help worry and wonder what will become of our extended families as things get worse. And even though I know my one son and daughter and their families are safely tucked away in Amish country, I still worry. I know there are those out there that have specifically targeted the Amish to attack and take their things once tshtf. I know my daughter is a good shot, as is the one son and my son-in-law. And my one son is a very good archer with a deadly aim. Still I worry. I know they will always have food to eat. I taught them well all their lives, even after they left home. And I know and believe that God has all in His control, including my family. But I confess that I am human and bound to err at times and this is one of those times. I worry when I know I shouldn't. I think God does understand a Mothers heart in that worry for her children. Still, with little communication in between us for now, it lets the mind wonder into dangerous territory. Places that I wish it wouldn't wonder too lol. I'm sure they will be fine in the long run and that they will help protect their Amish neighbors, making sure they are safe also. But until we get where we are going and are able to write them once in awhile, I will still worry. Lol,I'm a mom, I can't help it! Well looks like everyone is getting to the wagons. Best close for now and get ready to ride! Q

This is so neat! I am so glad to see others joining us in our UNreality wagon train! WooHoo! The more the merrier. Okay lurkers, there is still time to join us, so get your wagons packed and come on along! It would be so neat to have more joining us. Q

Well it sure was an ah...interesting? day LOL. It started out nice and peaceful...just hanging a few things on the laundry line that I missed out on before or had just too much trail dust. Mother and I were having a good chat around the laundry line. She kept wondering about her family and if they would make it this far okay. I would be worried too. And then the most awful screeching bellowing noises coming up from the pasture hit my ears! I thought it was a pack of animals but it was just that darn donkey and Mt.R I can laugh now knowing she is okay. What a sight! Her was that future donkey burger running along with Mt.R hanging onto the lead rope for dear life...on the ground...face down no less! And nope, not one to give up easy, she wouldn't drop it for love nor money! Just how she thought she was going to get that donkey to stop like that....well, maybe she has done it before? LOL...just glad she is okay! I hear we are to move out in the morning. I think I got everything secured down yesterday, but will give it all a quick check again tonight before turning in for the evening. Dinner was lite, just some jerky and gravy over biscuits. Not much of an appetite going and you would think different after washing and re-washing those clothes LOL. But it's one of those times where I am just too tired to even eat. What I would rather be doing right now is soaking in a hot tub and dreaming ! That seems to be a long way off from now to have that kind of luxury. Will have to get a house and barn built first before there will be any soaking about in a bath tub. Everyone seems so tired tonight. Camp is pretty quiet and most seem to just be keeping to themselves, busy with getting things packed up and lashed down to head out tomorrow morning. A few dips and gulley's huh? As long as they aren't mountains lol. I think I can handle those. This wagon seems to be able to handle what we have thrown at it so far, so we have no reason not to think it wont make the rest of the trip. I know hubby was out checking the wheels earlier while it was still pretty much day light out. He put a little grease to them but that was about all that was needed. He checked the tarp too making sure it was lashed down good just in case we hit rain. Don't want that leaking in onto the supplies! Well, the fire is dying off and most of the singing and worship is over. People who were here for it are slowly wandering off to their own wagons. I guess I had best close this journal and go pack up the cast iron bake pan and such and make sure the coffee pot and cups are out for the morning. It's time for bed yet I'm still so tired that I am wide awake. Ever been so tired you don't want to eat and you can't get to sleep? Maybe I will get a good nights sleep to fix all that! But it wont happen if I keep sitting here writing away lol...night... Q

It is kind of fun writing with yall in this story. It is the first time I have ever tried my hand at writing. Yall make it so easy though, just going along with the flow and adding our part to it. Q

Wow that was so trek last night in the near dark! That gully about got me...makes me wonder what it is going to be like further on if we come across some bigger ones that we can't just go around. I imagine the guys have already thought that out and have a plan for it lol. But we made it to the new site without any problems from our wagon or animals, thank God for that. I still have to draw up a list to get to the mayors wife of all the supplies we need to replace those we had used for the "accident" and since we left on this journey. I wonder if she has enough flour, salt, sugar, yeasts, etc...maybe she has some extra canning jars and lids too? I don't know, but it's going on my list anyways. I just hope that the sheriff can figure out a way to get all those supplies out to us in the wagon train without the town folks seeing it and checking out where it's all going. I bet they will figure something out though. Maybe a couple of trunks full or just a truck that they can sneak out here in the middle of the night. That wouldn't make too many people take notice. Surely not just on semi going down the road.... Well it's another beautiful morning out here and the peace and quiet is a welcome change from all the clamor at the last camp and the on lookers too. Hey, it's so quiet and there's no one here...makes you want to go skinny dipping lol. Too bad there isn't a pond right handy! No, not for skinny dipping! For fishing. I just have a hankering for some fish fried over the fire tonight. Maybe a few hush puppies to go with. I know there is no way I could make some slaw. I'll just have to pretend that part lol. I think I will just make a few flapjacks though. Those always fill you up and aren't too much trouble to make. About one of the only "fast" foods I have to fix. It would free up a bunch of time for me today though so I can get the wagon straightened out and everything secured down tight for the next leg of our journey. There is laundry to do today too. I want to get that going now so I will untie the big #10 washtub from the side of the wagon and wander over to the well and get some water. It's going to take a bit to haul enough for washing and rinsing. But it's doable. I will string a line from one of the trees near us to the wagon. That will be just enough for what I need. I have the blankets hanging from tree limbs just to air them out. They aren't dirty enough to need a washing yet. I think I will wait until we get settled in our new area for that one. Will probably have to wash everything then to get the trail dust out of it all. I wonder if anyone is going up to the hospital to check on the children today? Or are they just going to call one of the folks here with a cell phone? I do imagine it wont be much farther out when we loose all contact with them. I don't think there are any cell towers on the trail, but I could be wrong. Have been before lol. And I have to wonder while I am doing wash and straightening here in the wagon, just what it will be like where we are going. So far, I know that there will be hot springs, and that will be such a blessing. And I think of how much work it is going to take all of us to get places built and land cleared to work for gardens and such. All the fencing it is going to take for corrals and such. Whew! But if we work together then the way we have all worked together so far, it shouldn't take too much. What's that saying...many hands make for lighter work? Or something like that. I can imagine having good old fashioned barn raisings (and maybe houses too!) for each other and all the women fixing tons of food while the guys are hard at work. Ahhh sounds like fun to me where others would think I am crazy for thinking that way, I'm sure. But we have all decided it's best to be off on our own away from the world as it falls apart, so we will have to depend on each other this way and live more simple lives than we have in the past. So many ideas for things I want to do when we get there too! There is the garden to plant right off, so I imagine that will go in while we are still living in the tent. The house will have to be up before winter though for us. I can do canning and that outside and don't need a kitchen as such for that. But it will be nice to sleep in a regular bed again! Not that I am complaining, just wishing.... Well I best be off and getting the laundry done and animals fed and things arranged. Who knows when we will be off and running again. I do hope to have time today to sneak over and check on Mt. R and Mother. Have a good Sabbath all! Q

Oh boy! I am looking forward to all of that Mt.R! And to those traveling or having family in for the holiday....I hope you stay safe and have a wonderful time! May you all be blessed with many more years together for Thanksgiving. I'll be here tending my animals...sometimes being self-sufficent means NO travel lol, and that gets me to thinking about the grandkids and mom being so far away...I do wonder if I will see them again, but I know we will make it should something happen. Must be the holiday blues settin in lol... See yall in the story! Q

Not so much as a blooper, but a side track question. Where has everyone gone to? All out of town for the upcoming holiday? I was just a little worried.... Q

I see Mother over sitting by the fire alone. I think I will grab a cuppa and go sit beside her and keep her company. Even if she doesn't want to talk, someone will be there just because lol. Well, it's been another one of "those" days. I got to thinking with all the extra time on hand to get out something special for dinner tonight. So I grabbed my flour, salt, a little vinegar, and egg and some water. I took it over to one of the work tables where we had done all the butchering at. Scrubbed it down well since it sits outside uncovered and then got to work on making a pie crust! I got everything measured and mixed up in the bowl. I floured the table and put the pie crust down on it to roll it out. Wait! NO!! Tell me I did not do what I think I did. Oh ah yep, I forgot to pack my dern rolling pin of all the.....grrrr..so I borrowed one lol. Next time someone goes to town I will have to ask them to pick me up one. Please, talk about feeling stupid! I know right where it's at too. It's on the table right beside the front door. Right where I sat it down so I wouldn't forget it! And I got to thinking about it as I made the pies to go with the dinner that was just left overs from the night before. Sure were good though. I made three apple and two cherry pies so that there would be just enough for everyone to have a piece of one. Someone was talking near me as I rolled out the pies. It was about AH so I listened in being worried about what had happened with them and all. Seems they have a touch of wanderlust in them lol. Went off exploring some old abandoned farm north of here and that they would be back in oh around 5 hours or a little less. But here it is after dinner and they still aren't back yet. I know a few of us are worried about them and I offered up a prayer that they would return safe and sound. Still, even though I know we should cast our cares on Him, I can't help myself. I still worry about those I have come to think of as family over the past few weeks. I do hope the show up soon... Well, I have to tell you about my adventure today! I got to feeling so duh! for forgetting my rolling pin that I rode into town with a deputy that was getting off of work. He assured me that someone would bring me back to camp when I was done doing whatever I needed to be doing in town. So I grabbed a photo ID and some cash. We only deal in cash or once in a great while we used a Visa card, but they were the ones that were gift cards. Those don't require a name and such on them and can be used anywhere a regular Visa card can be used. Anyhow...we got into town and I found a cute little General Store off the main drag there in the town. I felt like I was stepping back 100 years going in there! Almost reminded me of Lehman's except they did have electrical stuff in this one. I wasn't interested in that though. I am more at home using non-electrical stuff now that we are out on the trail and don't have it lol. There were so many different parts to that store, one room alone was dedicated to tools for the farm from single bottom hand plows to parts for a combine LOL. Another room was mostly kitchen and that's where I spent a good deal of time. I picked up two wooden rolling pins in there. And another cast iron skillet, a griddle since mine had gotten a crack in it along the trail somehow. After I got through in there, I went to another room in the store with bolts upon bolts of sewing material and all kinds of notions, buttons and bows, lace trims, zippers, etc...I picked up a good heavy denim material, the entire bolt of 20 yards lol. Well, it was on sale! But at 3.00 a yard I couldn't pass it up! I already had patterns for skirts for me and pants for the Mr. But I did grab a unisex pattern for overalls for the both of us. Then I got to looking around and they had a tack room too!! I had to get to the check out and get out of there before I spent all the money we had left lol. I wanted to get back to camp before dark and tell the guys about this store and all the tack they had so they could come look and find what they needed for the teams and the horses to replace what was beyond repair from that "incident" the other day. So when I got to the check out the girl looked at me kind of funny. She asked me if I was with that bunch out at the farm and on that circus wagon thingy. I had to laugh. I told her that yes, I was with those on the wagon train. She told me to hold on just a minute while she went in to the back room. So I waited a few minutes and she came back up to the register. Then she cleared out all of my purchases! She had went to the back and called her aunt. Seems her aunt told her that if any of us come in to buy anything at all there will be NO charge for it! I asked who her aunt was. Now get this...her aunt is the Mayor's wife!!! Her and her sister owned this store and it was passed on to them by their parents when they died. She had owned this place before she ever married the mayor and he had NO say so in what they did with it LOLOL!!! She also said to spread the word along to the rest of the camp. They trusted us to only get what we needed to replace what we had used up to this point on our journey and to replace what ever had been broken during that awful accident. Praise God for her! It sure helped out a lot in our case. So now here I am back in camp. Just sitting here by the fire thinking back on the day. Sitting beside Mother and not having to say a word to each other, but yet still enjoying each others company. Now that is when you know you have a friend! I have my bad feet close up to the fire and it is sooo relaxing and toasty warm. My feet are really bad with the neuropathy and that warm fire is just the thing to make them feel something at least. And it seems to ease the tensed up muscles in them that keep wanting to spasm on me tonight. Probably from all that walking I did today in town. Oops, I think Mother is nodding off, she just dropped her tea! I better give her a shout and tell her it's time for bed. I think I will mosey off that way too. I have to remember to go check on Mt.R tomorrow before sundown. And go thank Annarchy for checking in on me too. What a sweet lady. Well, off to bed. I do hope Michael and Lori get back soon... Q

<Mt.R...IRL yes I was feeling that bad, but it happens frequently so don't worry. > Well I feel a tad better after that long sleep, but still have a ways to go before I am completely back on my pegs. I get those TIA symptoms sometimes. Mostly when I <ahem> don't pace myself and overdo things. Seems like there is a lot of that going on around here lol. I saw Mt.R outside her wagon yesterday. She is still looking a little peekid, but better! I think those of us who (I hate this word too!) are fragile are going to have to learn how to pace ourselves better in this new world we are beginning. I can tell mine is going to be work hard but take frequent breaks. Like work hard for 15 minutes or so and then take 5. Or work hard an hour or so and then take 15. It's a hard thing for someone who is used to going flat out all day long to have to do it too. It is frustrating, makes you angry at times and is a constant reminder that you are no longer "normal". But God is good and grants me no more than I can handle. I just have to learn how to handle it lol. Annarchy was here at the wagon to check on me and we had a nice visit! She sure is something sweet! I would love to go to a class on hide tanning too if she would agree to hold it. I always have dreamed of doing that and being able to make my own buckskin dress and moc's too! Since I wear a dress or a skirt most of the time, I think it would be comfortable to wear...all that soft hide! Oh my...I have to stop dreaming and get to working here or I will stiffen up lol. We all sure got a work out yesterday helping process all that meat! Oh that was so much fun and I had a good time watching the butcher slipping everyones dogs a bone and meat scraps! Our dogs sure liked it and took their bones in the wagon or under it. That kept all of them out from under foot. Sometimes I think dogs are just as bad as kids lol. But now they have those nice thick beef bones that will keep them busy a good long time along the trail. And I got a kick out of watching Mother directing all the traffic yesterday. She did such a good job of getting us all going and keeping us moving on getting that meat done. I had to giggle too when she got the town folk involved in it too. I noticed some of the folks kind of shied back on that. I had thought most people from a small town would have no problem processing their own meat? Maybe those were the city slickers one of the ladies from town was talking about. They sure acted like it. Seems people like that think that all the meat just comes from the store. I have to wonder if they know where it comes from before it hits the store lol. Probably not....anyways, it was nice to know we can all work together as a group if the situation calls for it. Worked like a well oiled machine! Okay, I wonder where Michael and Lori are going to? Their wagon is all hitched up and they are heading out somewhere? Oh dear, I do hope they aren't trying to go on ahead all by them selves! BRB...I have to go see what is on that piece of paper that boy has that he picked up over by where their camp was.... Q

Well I got up with a headache the size of Texas this morning, so I am putting on a strong pot of coffee, getting a cuppa and then crawling myself back under the quilts. My vision is off this morning as well as my co-ordination. My right arm is numb again and I am so nauseated! I know all these are the signs of a TIA, probably brought on by all the excitement and stress. So if I don't rest today, I will be next for the hospital. And I can't have that. I don't want to worry anyone or be a problem for the hubby. So I will just putter around today, do some sewing (nice quiet work, no stress) and such that's easy. But I really do need the rest. Hubby said he will get up and make breakfast for us. Oh such a treat! He really cooks best over a fire! He made some wonderful biscuits last night with a covered small cast iron pan that were so light and fluffy but had a very tasty crunch to the bottoms. I ate three of them with some of our precious honey on them last night! (IRL too! lol) I am hoping he will find the hens laying again so we can have egg biscuits. Yummm. Well I have my cuppa now back to bed... Q

Well it's been quite a time around here and I for one am so grateful for a couple of days to recoup and rest and do whatever else needs done before we all hit the trail again. I do hope that this incident doesn't keep anyone from going on. It would be a shame to loose even one of our "family". And it does feel like everyone is becoming a family of sorts. I know I would miss anyone not going on from here, especially now after all we have shared, be it good or bad. I did enjoy the fire last night. It gave me time to reflect back on the day and the poor way I handled the conversation with that deputy. I really do hope he forgave me. And I pray that God forgave me too. Funny how stress makes people react. And it sure didn't bring out the best in me. I found myself sniffling and tears falling freely. I listened to the words of "The Wedding Song" in a whole new light and asked the Lord for help along the way. That I knew I had come up short when so many were depending on me to lead the way in things medical. I came away knowing that the Lord put it on my heart to spend more time in His word and draw strength from it. And so I will. But I had myself a good cry none the less. I think more of that was from the stress than anything. Especial for that little girl from the other camp that was stuck in that wagon that went over the cliff. I haven't heard the extent of her injuries yet, just that she will have to spend a good bit of time in the hospital. I imagine we will have to go on without her and her family, but I do hope she will be out in time for them all to catch up with us on our last stop before going on to the homestead site. That would be so wonderful and God is good, so I will pray for them with that in mind and that His will be done. I know kids are pretty resilient and heal fast, so if I were a betting woman, I'd give her pretty good odds! There were quite a few who ended up going to the ER and many of them were treated and released back to the wagon train, but mt3b's and Saintsfan's son is still there. I hear he may be out in time to get to leave out with us! That would be so wonderful and I pray that they all continue on with us. Either way, they are deep in my prayer list for whatever their needs may be. I pray there are blessed beyond their wildest dreams. As for the doughnuts, I find myself unable to eat any of them. It just sits wrong with me somehow. Call me a nut, but I just can't. Seems almost like blood money type of thing. I do hope this so-called mayor doesn't think a little food and a few extra supplies are going to buy us all off. I am still mad as a hatter over it all and I am sure God will channel that to the good for me, at least I keep praying that lol. And yes, it seems as if all I am doing since the accidents is pray. Is there anything I can do better with my down time that pray for us all? And I find myself doing it while working on anything today too. I tried to get the wagon all straightened back out. I am going to have to sew or patch that giant rip right down the side of the tent today too. Right in the middle of the tent, all the way from the top to the bottom of it! Well it has to be fixed since all our money was put into leaving and the supplies. We don't have enough left to be buying a new tent like this one. It cost an arm and a leg anyways. I probably shouldn't have been so extravagant, but I knew we would be mostly living in it along the trail. Best find my needle and thread. I want to find time today to go over and check on Mt.R too. I understand how those spasms feel. I get them too when I get too tired. It's embarrassing when they happen in front of strangers but they really don't hurt or anything. More of a nuisance that harmful. I got mine as a side effect from my strokes. Could have done without them, but I got it, so I deal with it and try not to get too worn out. But I do need to check on her anyways. Maybe she would like some warm tea. I'll take her a cup when I go. I wonder if anyone has thought to make a list of all who are in the hospital and kind of do an update of them for all of us back here at the camp wondering how they are? Sure would make it a lot easier prayer wise, at least it will for me. I like it when I can take a specific need to God in prayer. I know that He sees and knows all, but it just makes me feel better lol. I am the selfish one this morning aren't I? And if I'm not careful I am going to start crying again....well too late, sniffles dead ahead. Geeze, is this ever going to end? Hubby is checking on all the dogs and the chickens. At least the chickens were in their cages, but they were already tied back onto the wagon and when it took a hit from behind, they got a good jolt and got real upset. One of the dogs has a really deep cut in her pad on her front paw. I put some bag balm on it after cleaning it out real good and put a bandage on covered with some vet tape bandage. But sometime in the night, she had chewed it off as dogs are want to do any time you bandage them up lol. She is licking it now as I look at her, so I'm not too worried about it getting infected, just worried it will take forever to heal. She may have to ride the wagon with us to give it a chance to heal. We will see how she does. Here's hubby now. Oh, says there are NO eggs this morning. Great. So now the chickens have stopped laying? And we were counting on having those eggs along the way for eating in so many different ways! I bet the mayor can't replace that! There's Michael again. I wonder if he ever rests? And Lori goes all the time too. I do hope they take advantage of the down time and spend some of it together. Alone. LOL, well as alone as they can get out here among all of us. Maybe a walk together. Even if they go looking for some of the lost livestock. Still, it would be nice. Ahh, I am such a romantic at heart. I'm sure they do spend time alone. But still, a romantic can dream! Oh and I need to go check on Mother too. She was running and helping everyone so much. I don't want to see her wear herself out either. She is such a fountain of knowledge! I am in awe of her! I just pray she gets to take a breather today. And I know, everyone has to much to do to just sit around, but a mental health day would help everyone at this point. Give them time to sit and put this whole thing into perspective and get unwound a bit. That IS a good thing to do. Better than filling it deep in the mind somewhere to deal with later, which isn't a good idea. Maybe a good sing along at the campfire tonight would do everyone good. Although I wouldn't blame a soul if they didn't feel like singing right now. But still, it wouldn't hurt to try it. Maybe Michael can get the kids to going and then the adults are sure to join in! I'll have to put a bug in his ear about it if I can catch up to him today lol. Well, I am glad I started this journal now. It sure has helped along the way. I wonder if my kids and grandkids will join us when we get to our destination? Or, if they will make it on their own. Will they even be interested in reading this journal at some point in time? No matter, I'm sure someone will like it and find some interest in it. But for now, I have to close it and get to sewing on that tent. I think I will put some water on the fire to boil so I can take Mt.Rider and Mother a cup of tea in a bit. And I hope someone comes back to camp soon with an update on those in the hospital still. I sure am worried about that little girl from the benefactors wagon group. Well, off to sew! Q

Well it started out to be another beautiful morning. Such wonderful colors in the morning sky, it was enough to make you stop and stare for a few minutes. I said a quick prayer of thanks while putting the big coffee pot on the fire. I got a few things out of the wagon for breakfast. Michael was close by but not fully awake yet lol. I gave him a cuppa coffee and watched him wander off mumbling something about squishy easter eggs?? LOL I do wonder what that was all about. Then all heck broke loose. While I was in the wagon trying to convince Mr. Q that it was time to get up and going for the day, I heard someone demand that we leave our wagons and line up? Then that awful noise from the helicopter sent the animals into a tizzy and most of them ran off. I jumped out of the wagon just in time to see one of the wagons from the benefactors train head off over the ravine!! OMG there are people yelling and I hear children crying and a blood curdling scream off to my left. Animals are stampeding and I see a young girl get run over by a fast moving cow. Dang! This is all going to come to no good and I try triaging them in my mind right now as to who needs attention first. Someone went and grabbed the little girl and took her to the medical wagon, so that is where I headed with coffee pot in hand jik we would be there for awhile. I also took my medical BOB too that I carried in the wagon for little boo-boos along the trail. I and the other medical people set up a table outside of the back of the wagon where we grabbed someones grandson and put him to work writing down names of the injured and just at quick glance what was wrong with them. The little girl was seen to first as she seemed to be the worst injured in our group. I grabbed my pen light and looked into her eyes while asking here where she hurt at and could she point to the spot for me. She just pointed to the cut on her head and said that was all that hurt. It was bleeding pretty bad as any scalp injury is want to do. There are many, many blood vessels in the scalp, all superficial or close to the outer layer of skin. Hers was deep and probably needed stitching. That would get done later when we could locate her parents to help us with her. But for right now, I handed her over to one of the other volunteers to get her cleaned up. I think he was a deputy? At least he had some kind of uniform on that looked like a deputy. I was mad as a wet hen. I probably should have held my tongue, but I just couldn't. I tied into him asking him if he had ANY idea what a mess he and his fellow deputies had made and the injuries they had needlessly caused? And why did he want to see all these children hurt like that? I asked him if he had any kids. He said "Yes ma'am. A son and a daughter, both under 6." So I asked him if he thought he would be mad if someone had needlessly caused them harm and physical and mental trauma? I think he had tears in his eye as he turned away from me mumbling a "Yes, ma'am." I realized what I had done wasn't right. I put down my notes and went over to the deputy holding the small girl. He was trying to clean her up the best he could. I touched his shoulder and said "Thank you for stopping what you were doing and coming over to help tend to the wounded. It is much appreciated and I can tell that you really do care about us and what has happened here this morning. And I ask that you forgive me for being so harsh with you? And if you don't mind, I would really like having you stay here at the medical wagon and helping us with the rest of the people. Especially the little ones that you seem to have such a way with?" I saw him smile for the first time that day. He agreed to stay with us and help in any way he could. I got back to treating the injured, all the while worrying about that wagon that had went over the ravine with such a sickening crash. I hoped by now there were ambulances on the way and someone had made it safely down the ravine to check and make sure there was no one in the wagon. And we had so many injured in ours. It seemed like everyone had at least a cut or two that would need stitching up or butterfly tape put over them. One man from the other wagon train had been in the middle of the oxen trying to pull his two out to hitch back up to the wagon when all this started. They found him unconscious and laying in a heap where the oxen had been. Luckily some of our medical people found something to use for a stretcher and went to retrieve the man and bring him to the medical wagon. He was awake and talking to us by the time he got there. His eyes though. The pupils were a little off suggesting he had a concussion at least. He did complain of a splitting headache. I told him to stay as still as he could or I was going to tape his head down to the stretcher. I didn't want to take the chance that he had a fracture somewhere or a broken neck or something else that gets only made worse by movement. Where is the ambulances??? And why isn't someone coming back here to tell us what happened or where the ambulances are or if they are even coming??? Oh geeze Q, keep your cool gal. This is NO time to go flying off the handle and giving into the confusion. Keep your head on straight! These people need you to help them. You promised you would be there when they needed you, now buck up gal and make good on that promise! O snapped out of it when I saw the man with the concussion out of the corner of my eye trying to move his head from one side to the other looking around at what all was going on. I got a roll of wide silk tape out and told him to look up at the ceiling. When he did that, I tapped his head to the stretcher by winding the tape around the stretcher and his head about 4 times. There, that should hold him still enough while I go see if someone else needs me here. I spotted a little girl peeking around the corner of the wagon like she wanted to ask something but was afraid to. I went over to her and said "Hi there sweetie, I'm Quilty. Can I do something for you? Are you hurt any where?" She looked at me and said "Yes ma'am. One of the other ladies sent me here to look for you. She said I need a band-aide for the scratch on my arm." I told her to stay right there and I would be right back with a band-aide for her. I went and grabbed my small medical BOB and headed back to the girl. I sat down on the ground next to her beside the wagon. She showed me her scratch on her arm. It was a little deep in spots and she said she got it from a chicken she had tried to pick up and take back to their wagon. So I told her to be really still that I had to clean it up so there wasn't any dirt in it. I washed it up with some soapy warm water and a rag. Dried it off with another clean rag. Then I pulled out my "Special band-aide box" and let her pick the one she wanted. It was full of Barbie, Transformers, Care Bears and such band-aides just for the kids. She picked a care bears and handed it to me to put on her arm. I asked her if she would like to be in charge of the "special" band-aide box today? She smiled from ear to ear and just about squealed a "YES!" I told her she could only use them for the other children that had bad scratches like hers. She seemed so happy to help us out and wandered off with the band-aide box to help us "patch up" the other children. So many people needing tending too. There are only a few of us medical people. I start to wonder if we are going to have enough supplies for this? And what of that wagon that went over the side? I see people standing around yelling and waving arms, but I don't see anyone going over the side there to check in that wagon yet! I hear the thuuu-uump, thuuu-uump, thuu-uump of a heavy chopper coming! Lord please let that be a medical chopper I hear! I really want this man over here sent to an ER for a CAT scan of his head and neck! Not to mention we are really wearing thin here and getting tired fast. It's about time to take 10! So I go over to Mr. Mt. Rider and ask him to go take a break and I will cover for what he was doing while he goes. Then when he gets back, he can let someone else go on break. If we don't stop and digest what is going on and rest for a few, we wont make it through all of this mess. Oh wonderful! I see 5 people in orange jump suits headed our way with bags, oxygen and a couple of stretchers loaded with orange boxes. The help has arrived at last! I feel like I can finally take a deep breath and do so. Strange but there seems to be water running down the front of my shirt. Oh, tears. I knew they would come, but I had hoped they would hold off until later when I was in the privacy of our wagon. I couldn't help it, the tears just fell. All the hurt and all the damage. Animals that would have to be put down and lost. Senseless waste. All of it. And for what? Some pompous asses suspicions? Did he call us a cult? I see Mt. Rider up there with them all. I hope she explains things to him. Go girl! And all this, I still see no one going over the edge to check the other wagon. Okay, that's it. Someone grab some rope. Lets go! I grab Saints Fan, one of Mothers grandsons, and a few other men from our wagon train and head up to the other train and the ravine. I walked up to where all the people were gathered. Has anyone taken a roll call yet here? Is there anyone missing? They all just stared at me like I had seven heads or something! No completed roll call. Great, that's all I need to hear and take off to the ravine, men and rope in tow. I see a few of the ladies coming running up from our camp to help too now. They ropes are carefully anchored and thrown over the edge. It's not too far down, but far enough that it looks like the wagon is smashed beyond repair. I don't see anything moving down there but we are still going to go look anyways... I and a couple of others start down the ravine on the ropes. It's hard to do when you want to be at the bottom asap. Trying to take it at an even pace so I don't tangle lines and end up upside down or worse yet, loose my grip on the rope all together and fall to the bottom on top of that wagon! Inching down ever so slowly, but safely. Almost there. Okay everyone, be careful down here. We don't know if there is anyone in there or not. And there may be snakes down here too. If you hear any rattling noise, STOP where you are and yell out! Okay, lets go see about this wagon. Saints fan and Mothers grandson carefully start lifting what they can out of the back of a wagon. They see a small pair of legs tangled up in some boxes in the back. One of them yells to come quick!! Help!! They gently lift the boxes off of the legs. Trying to be so careful that they don't cause any more harm to who ever it is that is down there. And judging by the size of the legs, it's a small child. Oh Lord, have mercy. It IS a child! Four of us carefully lock hands together forming a sort of stretcher. One of the men gets into the wagon and gently lifts the child from the wreckage, holding her head and body as still as he possibly can. The four of us get as close to the back of the wagon as we can. He gently places the child in our arms and we back the little girl away from the wagon and into the shade. Someone watching at the edge of the ravine yells back to get the choppers medical crew here NOW!! By the time we get her to the shade, the medical team is coming down the ropes with a stretcher basket. They put the little girl safely into the basket and start taking her up the edge to the waiting people above. Once they all get back up they tape her down onto a stretcher and run off at break neck speed to the chopper. I have NO idea who the child was. She had to be one from the benefactors train as she didn't look familiar to me at all. I see the chopper taking off and say a quick prayer for the little girl. Okay back to the medical wagon. There are injured to tend to and other people who need to take a break. Maybe I can go relieve them so they can freshen up some.... Q

What a wonderful Easter day it has been! Started out with the most magnificent sunrise that was full of purples, oranges, yellows and reds. My isn't it so pretty to see? The thought of how He did this for all of us to enjoy is just so overwhelming. I look along the trail as we ride and see all the beautiful scenery and think that His hand is in it all. That He made us caretakers of His creation! And from the sounds of it, we will be heading to one part of His creation that is almost eden-like. Hot springs? Oh my aching joints long for that!!! Can you imagine soaking in them in the evening after a hard day of gardening or laundry and baking and such? Oh the joy of it!! I can't wait to jump in lol. Well I am taking a little advantage of us being stopped for the night. We are running low on roasted coffee so I pulled out my chicken cooker (long sided cast iron skillet with a lid about a size 8) and one cup of my green coffee beans that I had brought along. I put the beans in the skillet and took a whisk with me over to the fire. Oh, and a metal strainer too. I put the skillet over the fire and started slowly stirring the beans around. Just a little here and there at first, but always moving the beans so they don't burn. And then it started smoking and with the little breeze that was blowing, it sent it right into the main camping area where all the wagons are hehehe. The smell of roasting coffee is enough to wake anyone up and wanting a cuppa! Well after they started smoking, I had to stir faster and constantly. Some of the kids came over to see what I was doing (and some of the adults too drawn in by the smell lol) after they noticed me making all the smoke in the pan. Well some of the beans started the first crack stage and they make a loud popping noise and they jump in the pan like a Mexican jumping bean! The kids thought that was just so cool! I stirred to a chorus of "make it do it again" lol. I stirred until the coffee was a dark black color, but not burnt and the second crack was almost done. Then I dumped the beans out into a strainer and let one of the older kids stir them around in it and blow the chaff out! LOL the first time they did that they got a face full of chaff and quickly learned to kind of blow on it farther away and on a slant so that the chaff went off in another direction. Once that was done, we spread the coffee beans out on a pan to dry and cool off. Now, in the morning, I will get out my hand crank coffee mill and we will have fresh roasted coffee in the 30 cup pot for any who want to try it. And the next time we need to roast, I will provide the green coffee beans if you bring a cast iron skillet with deep sides to it. We will gladly teach you how to roast your own since it is so cheap to buy it that way. We got ours for the trip for 15.00 for 20 pounds of Mexican turquesa beans which may be cheap but they taste like a million dollar cuppa coffee! I did manage to get some laundry done today and put away. Hard to get much done today with it being Easter and all. I spent more time watching the kids hunt the easter eggs than I did anything else! Those were some really neat ideas of how to color them! All ours come out brown or blue-green to begin with. Wonder if I could talk Thelma, Louise and Whitey into putting some pics on them too? LOL sorry I just felt goofy there for a minute. I love to laugh and cut up and with this trip it is really needed to let off some of the stress we are going through. They say laughter is the best medicine and I think they are right! Well I am off to finish packing up the wagon for getting underway again in the morning. I am really getting anxious to get there now that we have left the big cities behind. I feel like asking ARE WE THERE YET???!!! lol but I wont do it. I'll leave that to the kids to do! Well have a good night everyone and it was a joy to celebrate Easter with all of you. And thanks to ceegee for the very nice service! Stop by in the morning yall for a cuppa fresh roasted coffee!! I really need to hit the hay now. I have been flirting with a headache all day and my joints seem to be aching more than normal even for this rough ride. I am hoping a good nights rest will cure it right up... Q

Oh it's so nice to be stopped for the evening knowing tomorrow is Easter! I hope to be up to see the sunrise. Maybe someone will come around and give us a yell. And it's so good to get that pot of beans and ham hocks on the fire and out of the wagon. Liked to have killed me smelling it all day long as we rode along lol. I thought I had it wrapped up tight enough but those smells still escaped. Now I have to make a pan of cornbread in my cast iron skillet. It's not hard to do, we did it all the time at home. I don't think I would know any other way to make it up. Mother, I would love to get more of those Irons for the campfire. I have the popcorn one also that we just love. And you know, I have some seed stored for that too lol. Hubby wasn't going anywhere that he couldn't grow his own popcorn! He gave up the movies that usually go with it, but he's one stubborn man and wont give up popcorn or potatoes. Glad you liked my chickens names Mt. Rider. Thelma and Louise just seemed to fit them. They love to get in a carrier and go for a ride. So this is nothing new to them. I just hope they have NO plans for escape LOL. I will need them once we get to where we are going. They are my best layers so they will be put in with a rooster and I will let one of them go broody so we get some chicks. I am hoping they will be just as good layers as their momma. I drifted off there for a minute. Just listening to the sounds of the camp and enjoying listening to the sound of children laughing and having fun. It's been an easy ride so far compared to the wagon trains of old. And now that we are off the beaten path, I suspect it might get a bit more rough. But I am still looking forward to the trip. I hear someone off to the side of me talking about getting a few unmentionables washed and hung up in their wagon tonight. Wondering if I hadn't ought to do the same. I wouldn't want to get mine seen in broad daylight lol. Don't want to scare anyone! Well off I go to do some wash and some straightening in the wagon. Since we have been on the trail for awhile, there are holes appearing and things need re-packed so that there aren't any accidents. Ahh, the fun never ends! I love adventure! Q

I don't know about yall, but I sure will be ready to stop for a bit and get the laundry caught up! Wonder if there are any fish in that pond? Maybe we should let the guys figure that out while us ladies tend to the cooking, laundry and wagons. I am going to make some biscuits in my cast iron dutch oven just for the kids tonight around the campfire. I brought along a cast iron pie maker for in the fire. You can put bread or a biscuit in it and stick something in the middle of the biscuit (like chocolate!) and let it melt in there for a bit. Take it out of the fire, let it cool and you have a pie! The edges of the iron crimp the bread or large biscuit edges together so the stuff in the middle wont leak out while you are eating it. I saw it at a store before we left on this move and grabbed it thinking it might give the kids something fun to do one night around the fire. Well, this has been pretty tiring so far riding along in the wagon over all the miles we have covered. But I think today, it felt a little easier. Maybe I am starting to get used to it? LOL< I have to wonder what it will be like when we get to our new homes. Will we be so used to riding and going that it will be hard to settle down and stay put again? It will be nice not to have saddle sores though hehehe... I think tonight while we are just relaxing I will get out my two books, "Green Pharmacy" and Steven Fosters "Field Guide to Medicinal Plants of America" and ask Mother some questions about them. A friend gave them to us before we left thinking that we may need them once we get to where we are going. He was even nice enough to take us out for a day and show us a few of the basics. But me and my stubborn head that has a hard time learning anything new and sticking in there, has forgotten most of it already! I hope mother can help me find a way to learn this stuff and remember it! These natural herbs and remedies are really going to come in handy once the pharmaceuticals run out. And who's to say that this country or the world is going to hold together for any length of time once we get to our new place? If it doesn't then we wont be able to ride to the next town and get things like aspirin and such. Maybe once we get to the new place, Mother can take a few of us and start a class? I sure would be interested in going to it! She could charge for it too, maybe eggs from one of us and milk from another and stuff like that instead of paying cash money? Just an idea... Well the chickens are still laying. One has quit, the white one that lays the blue/green eggs. But then she has always been the lowest on the pecking order and such a nervous Nelly! Seems like every time she gets her routine upset, she quit laying. Don't know why I thought this would be any different for her. But the two black hens, Thelma and Louise, they just keep on laying. Seems like nothing bothers them lol. And with just the two of us in the wagon, it makes for a nice breakfast every morning and then we don't have to worry about packing the eggs so that they don't break. I think I will take the two fresh eggs in the morning and make an omelet with them that hubby and I can split, along with a few fresh biscuits and some of that muscadine jelly I brought along should be just enough to fill us up! Ah...sweet dreams tonight of omelette's and jelly lol. I have a question to ask you ladies...are yall keeping a journal once we get settled? Kind of like a record of our lives to pass along to the next generation? I thought I might start one then. It's just too much right now to write in one. Seems like there is always something needing done now whether we are sitting in camp or riding down the trail. But once we settle then I will get one going. I want my children and grandchildren to know how rough we had it, how we learned and grew as we went. What worked and what didn't. And to not pass on all that knowledge seems like a sin almost. So, what do yall think? To journal or not to journal.... Well I am glad that the quarantine was lifted and we are all back together again. I worried about having the train kind of broken into two parts. Didn't like the people in the back being cut off by so much space. But all is better now and I do hope we don't have to repeat that again! We got so lucky that it wasn't the H1N1 with all the traipsing into the towns along the way! I really think we need to cut our exposure. I realize that there aren't any more large towns now, but they can get sick even in one horse burgs too. Maybe we need to have one or two people designated as the ones to go into the towns and get the supplies and mail? Maybe two that have been vaccinated for some reason? Sure would make me and the other medical people more at ease about yall coming back into the middle of all of us without being quarantined first for 5-7 days!! We HAVE to think about things like that to limit our exposure or we are going to be stopped somewhere on the trail for a few weeks and what if we are so sick that we can't go on and the place we stop has NO water or anything? It could spell the end of us and our train. Or we could loose quite a few of us that way. We need to think about this. And I will leave it to Mother and Mt. Rider to figure out since they are what I figure is the head of the group. Maybe Mt. Rider might want to say something to the other train too. From the way they have been described here, I doubt if they would have the sense enough to figure this out on their own. Sounds like a bunch of city slickers to me that have NO country sense at all. I kind of feel sorry for them and I wonder if they will even make it to the final destination? Sounded like they were about done in already... Well time to go round up the laundry in the back of the wagon. I can't wait to stop tonight and get dinner going! Maybe I should do a pot of beans and one of those smoked ham hocks that I brought so many of? Yep, sounds good! I don't know if I want to use any of my onions that I brought though. I was hoping to keep them stored until we get to our new place. Maybe I can find that container of dried diced onion...it should be around here somewhere... Q (PS...I am sorry for not having posted for awhile. Our internet was so messed up and then they finally took it down for a few days to fix it. Meanwhile, we got chickens!!! SO I have been out watching them more than I should LOL)

Good Sabbath to you all! What a beautiful morning it is. Hubby is going off down to the fishing "hole" with they guys and some of our extra poles if any of the boys need to borrow one. He's a pretty good teacher too, especially of things of this nature. So if anyone has an interest in learning to fish, he is willing to teach them! Now might be a good time to learn too on this slow pretty little stream. We have two of those huge enamelware coffee pots Mother if you want to use one back there for the sick folks. I don't know about them, but I still drank coffee when I was sick lol. Or you might want to use it for hot water for tea? Just holler and I will get it back to you. This rest period is the perfect thing we needed for those sick folks too. Can you imagine not feeling good and being constantly jostled and juggled around over rough ground or just riding a wagon? Ugh, I don't think it would be fun at all! So far, just the one little girl from the other train seems to be the worst of the cases. I wouldn't give anything unless the fever gets over 102. If it is a low-grade fever, just let the body naturally fight off what ever is causing it. And I haven't seen any new cases since yesterday morning, so that is good news! Maybe we can get these folks healed and get the train back together. I don't like having us all spread out like this, but it's best to keep it that way until the last person is come down with it + another couple of days. That's just to make sure the last sick person didn't infect anyone else. Then we can all get back together! Michael, yes we have been praying too every day and evening for all of us. But I was thinking that maybe a few extra were needed by our fantastic prayer warriors during the day as they think of it. Seems we have been hitting so many rough spots already that it wouldn't be a bad idea. And I would like to send a special thanks to the benefactors for allowing us this two day stop. I can observe Sabbath and it also allows a rest for those who are ill. To me it has many benefits doing this. And while I am at it, since I am a Sabbath keeper, I just want to add that I will NOT ask that we stop every Friday at sundown lol. I am sure the good Lord will understand why we are not doing that and instead I will keep the Sabbath in my heart and mind. I will do most of our cooking and cleaning before Friday evening, well as much as is possible on a wagon train LOL. It brings some special challenges for me. I had to carefully pray on this trip before even agreeing to go just because I knew we would be traveling on Saturdays. But the Lord put in my mind a few things to let me know that He understood what was in my heart. And that all would be well. So while the hubby drives, I will do my Sabbath studies. That works out very well too. So to me, there are so many blessings being on this wagon train. Ones that I am very grateful for, besides just getting out of the mess back East (We are traveling West aren't we?) and getting to a new place where we will be safe from what is coming. I am going to start a pot of beans and some smoked hamhocks that I brought along. If I start the beans now and keep them over the fire all day, it should be enough to have them ready by dinner time. And later I will mix up a pan of cornbread in my one pint dutch oven. It's a small little thing, but with that lid I can put it in the coals and also put some on top of it to make a little oven out of it! And the cornbread comes out so tastey in it! Hubby even uses it to make a few biscuit in and they turn out pretty good too. We both enjoy cooking over an open fire, so this is a fun thing for us. And if they manage to catch any fish this afternoon, then I guess we will be having those for dinner too! Oh I do hope there is some left over for breakfast. Nothing like cold fish in the morning! Well off to gather laundry and string a line off of the wagon and onto that tree next to it. Best get that done now while there is a chance to. Who knows when our next stop like this will be??? Q

Good morning everyone. Mother, I was up early at my campfire and saw the two of you go by me, so I was keeping an eye and an ear out too. Or trying to because I was a little preoccupied with thought. First off, I think we are going to need special prayers for the folks in our wagon train. Since we have started, things have not gone too smoothly. I wonder if that is the reason, the need for special prayers? Maybe we could get some prayer warriors of the wagon train going on this. My other preoccupying thought was one I cannot believe anyone else in the medical field hasn't picked up on yet??? This may prove to be unpopular at first with those in certain wagons...but here goes! Those of you exhibiting symptoms of colds, running fevers, etc...then you are going to the back of the wagon train! I'm sure we can get someone to guard you back there, and you will now be camping away from the main train at night. Not so far off that we can't yell at each other and such, nor protect you either. But you are now a health risk to the entire wagon train. And if you are carrying H1N1 on board, you have the potential to make us all sick and possibly call the traveling to a halt. And since time is of the essence here, I propose that we quarantine them as much as we possibly can from the rest of those of us who are healthy. Now, in order to do this I need to know a few things. Are there any of you who have sick ones on board in the medical field? And do you carry "protection" against intruders under the wagon seat or in the wagon? Why I ask is first one, I don't want to have to pull well medical folks into the quarantined train if it's not needed. Why risk exposing others when they may be needed to help with the main body and couldn't if they have been exposed? Second, we need to see if we will have to call for volunteers to help guard the back train? Mt. Rider what do you think? Do we keep the train together and risk us all becoming so sick that we can't travel and have to halt the train or do we put a few in the back end separated by a small distance that are showing symptoms of the flu and thus keeping the rest of us somewhat safe? I realize that we have all been exposed by being around them already. But do we continue to be exposed and end up all sick too? I think we need to hash this out quickly before moving on today. We only have so many medicines, either natural or manufactured. Only so many supplies to get there. Do we risk it all? Q

That was some warning there Michael. I have a hunch those guys coming after the camp are the same ones that I overheard in the ER waiting room! Will keep a sharp eye out for them, but with us breaking camp early, I bet we get ahead of them and stay that way. No need for thanks on helping with those injured and possibly injured. I volunteered for this at the begining of the trip. And will keep right on helping even after we reach our destination. Mother, I am glad to hear the GS is sleeping. That way he isn't up and fretting over not being able to move around much. I think the willow in moderation and the St. Johns Wort would be really good for him. You know those younger folks surprise us some times with just how fast they heal up and get back to normal. I bet he's up and going in no time. Well the hens are fretting. One of them has stopped laying already but the other two are still going at it. I think she quit because of all the moving and jostling around she is getting in the cage hanging off the side of the wagon lol. Since ours are always penned we thought it better to just keep them caged up for the trip rather than trying to free range them since they aren't used to it. I figured they would free range a little too far and get lost. You know how chickens are...they scratch their way to China if you don't turn their attention on something else LOL. As for entertaining the young ones along the way when we come to a town. Maybe I can get my hubby to show them how he can hypnotize a chicken? I bet they would get a kick out of that! And some of Michaels magic tricks too would get them to laughing and show that we mean no harm to any of them. Might smooth things over with the town folks real nice like. Well, time to get camp packed up and put the coffee pot in a quilt behind the wagon seat. Nope, I'm just not quite done with it yet. And whoever donated the cheese grits? You get a hug for that one! I love them and not having to cook last night was a God send. Bless you and thank you for those. Well off to pack up the wagon and get outta Dodge so to speak. Q

Mother, you watch that grandson of yours carefully. They put his kneecap back into place at the hospital. And I did talk them out of keeping him on the promise that we would watch him carfully for any undue swelling, increase in pain, kneecap looking "out of place" or more off to one side than in the middle, and for any fever meaning he could have an infection brewing. Im glad I packed some doxycycaline antibiotics in my medical kit! You're grandson is a good boy. He was so brave at the hospital. And they were very nice there until they found out we were with the circus going through town. Well just at the desk. They were mostly worried about payment, but I gave them the name of the benefactors like Mt.Rider suggested and they clammed right up? Who are those people? Anyway, I am just glad no one was seriously hurt in the melee. I hope we get out away from here soon....I heard whispers among a few men in the waiting room to come out here and see what we had... Q

Okay, the coffee pot is on, chickens are fed (really too! I love this!!) and rooster is really crowing out my back door lol. Time to get a move on folks. It's getting late, lets roll! Our tent is packed back up in the wagon and all we need to do its wash out coffee cups and the 30 cup pot and we will be ready. Q

Okay, I got my chickens this morning. Well about 8 am lol. So we are just catching up to yall, but it took us longer sneaking around the gravel roads and all. Just so glad we didn't get stopped by any officers along the way like yall did! We had a few people look at us strangely, but being country folk and all, they kept to themselves and didn't give us any problems. Although the man with the gun in his front yard at noon looked a bit threatening. I did remember to put my basic first aide kit under the wagon seat just in case as someone said. Smart idea too, I would have hate to have to run to the medical wagon and back if it was an emergency! So, since we are late pulling into camp and missed the meeting, will someone be posting the chat for it? This IS unreality LOL. Okay ladies and gents...we are off to set up our tent for the night...it's been a long long day for us! Q