More from the Manse

We wanted to spend as much time at the manse as possible, so we left here at 10, taking the rest of the boys’ schoolwork with us (they just had to finish their maths, Aaron had to read, and I had to read a chapter from Gladys Aylward to them). Nick got started in the back yard as soon as we got there, removing more rubble from the lawn and turning over more ground and watering so we can revive the grass a little. He also wiped down the kitchen counters and the windowsills and surfaces in the diningroom. After Sally’s lunch in the diningroom (and Nick outside because he was too dirty to come in) I removed the last of our things from upstairs and the diningroom and then I vacuumed. I’m not all that into housework although vacuuming is cool in its own way, but this particular stint was fabulous – tackling a year’s worth of Jamestown dust as well as the original dust after the rockfall and just watching it lift off the carpets, windowsills and skirting boards was tremendously satisfying! At 2.30 we had an arranged visit with Pat and Prudy, just up the road in town. We had a really nice visit with them with a lot of laughter as we regaled them with ‘boy stories’. Felt a bit weary after the heavy housework, so once we were home I took to the bed. When Caleb came to enquire after supper I asked him to make the hamburgers – sort of jokingly, but wondering if he could. Anyway, I got up soon after to go and supervise his and Aaron’s efforts. They had gotten as far as cutting open rolls and separating the chicken patties, so I just told them what to do and then stood back and photographed. They lost interest after a while and I guess were also scared of the hot oven or uncertain how to proceed, so I finished off. Good try on their part though!