Summers Bounty

We live very close to an old order Mennonite community. For a long time, I thought they were Amish, but they are in fact Mennonite. It was explained to Brandon {by a couple of Mennonite brothers who did some work for us}that the Amish or Mennonite label has to do with their religion. The community does not use any modern conveniences such as electricity or running water or phones. When I first started dating Brandon and he took me down the roads where they live, I was enamored. I considered running away to live with them. He said they would frown upon my cell phone and I'd have a hard time staying in touch with my mom so I changed my mind. I have decided that I like air conditioning and hot showers too much to live that way, but I continue to be very interested in that way of life and how such a large group of people are able to maintain such simplicity throughout the generations. I am also not completely convinced that they don't use generators and cell phones!
Anyway...each of these communities has a specialty. The community around us grows produce. They actually supply stores like Walmart and truck produce out. {I guess they aren't opposed to other people using motorized vehicles???} So Mason and I made our first trip down the road to see what yummy summer fruits and veggies were for sale. I guess since they are professional farmers, they have stuff way before the average Joe. I got squash, zucchini, corn, cantelope, tomatoes, garlic, blackberries and green beans all for $12! And it was yum! Ellie even tried corn! I made a delicious squash casserole. I think I am going to try to buy all my produce there this summer. I found out they are open 7a-6p so I could go straight there after I get off work. I guess a good blogger would have taken a picture of the bounty but I was doing to to get it cooked much less take pictures!
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We had another regular weekend! Ellie went to Nana and Poppop's on Friday night. I felt like she was due some one on one "Nana" time. She had a wonderful time. Nana found a "Whale Pool" and Ellie had a grand time splashing around in it. Saturday, Me and Ellie joined my parents at my cousin's wedding. It was H-O-T but very beautiful. Brandon and Mason opted out and THANK GOODNESS. Mason would have been a wildcat and whoever had to chase him would have been drenched. Brandon and Mason picked Ellie and I up and we went to a cookout with some church friends Saturday evening. Sunday, we did church and then just hung around at home. I served as electrician's assistant which proved to be a much bigger job that the original job description {as provided by our electrician, Brandon} had indicated. It was so hot and the kids were playing in the garage and eventually got sick of playing nice and it just all fell apart! So lesson learned: If I am going to help Brandon, someone else will have to have the kids! We did complete the task we had set out to complete and we continue to move forward with house stuff. I think they are supposed to do the siding this week and work on figuring out how they are going to do my basement ceiling without it being tiled. I won't expound here but you can email and I will give you all the fun details. I need to write a book: The Novice's Guide to Building a House. {Not because Brandon is a novice...I AM!} I have learned a lot through this process. The plumbing is roughed in and the H/VAC is also roughed in. Once we finish with the electric, they will start drywalling. HOPEFULLY, Brandon's step-dad will be able to come down and we can do a one weekend PUSH and get it all done. Hopefully.
I am THRILLED for this short week. I am working my once every few weeks "late week" this week. Our office is supposed to be open from 7:30-5:30 and {for reasons I don't completely understand} I am one of the lucky suckers who is in the rotation for working late now and then. It usually works out to about once a month. The university hours change for summer so my normal hours are 8-4. On late weeks, I get to work 9:30-5:30. Coming in at 9:30 rocks. Not getting home until after 6 doesn't rock. It's really hard on the kids therefore hard on ME, but they will survive. WOOT WOOT for a holiday week!