In 1988 I found our house. I knew it was the one the first time I saw it. You may think it's silly, but I saw it in a dream. It was just perfect, with everything I had ever wanted. Natural wood threw out the entire house. A big family room, fireplace, and two bathrooms, well you get the picture.
Thinking back now I don't remember the first year we planted a garden, but I'm sure it was in the first few years after we moved in. It started out small, but grew bigger year after year.
I always wanted a flower garden, but my husband always said, "if we can't eat it its a waste of garden space." So I gave up on the flower idea and learned how to love the vegetable garden.
Soon a new tradition was born. Every year late in the summer, when the zucchini squash became ripe we had everyone over for fried zucchini. I remember one year they didn't grow for some reason? So I had to go to the market to purchase the squash. That's me I love a get together. I'm not sure why I enjoy it, it's a lot of work. Slicing,breading, and frying.
This year we were faced with the possibility that we might lose our house. About six months after I lost my job, things went from bad to scary. My husband has two jobs, and because of the economy, had his hours cut back. We had excepted the fact that we would have to become renters again. Wow! After all these years. I had to tell myself, its just a house. I could convince myself that it was just sentimental.
In the early spring, my father-in-law stumbled over his feet and took quite a fall. He and his wife had been doing OK, except his memory had started to go away. My husband had to go stay with them and try to nurse his dad back. Despite all his efforts his dad had to be placed in a home.
Then one morning he looked at me with doubt in his eyes and said, "looks like I won't plant the garden this year." Why would we possibly plant a garden in a yard that was attached to a house that we would soon have to leave?
A few days later I received a call from the bank. They had a program for us under the modification programs. Home sweet home would stay sweet.
The following weekend my husband planted the garden. He isn't here much, but my son,daughter-in-law, and myself take care of it.
My husband spends most of his time at his parents house, now caring for his mom, and visiting his dad. Although his dad know longer knows who he is, or whats going on around him. Alzheimer's has robed them of their relationship, yet they smile together and share hours together that are to be cherished.
He calls often to make sure we haven't forgotten to water the garden. And when he comes home he goes straight to the garden to check on its progress and to pull a few weeds. Last week he harvested the peas and this week I have refrigerator full of green onions.
It won't be long now before we have our annual zucchini fry!
Thinking back now I don't remember the first year we planted a garden, but I'm sure it was in the first few years after we moved in. It started out small, but grew bigger year after year.
I always wanted a flower garden, but my husband always said, "if we can't eat it its a waste of garden space." So I gave up on the flower idea and learned how to love the vegetable garden.
Soon a new tradition was born. Every year late in the summer, when the zucchini squash became ripe we had everyone over for fried zucchini. I remember one year they didn't grow for some reason? So I had to go to the market to purchase the squash. That's me I love a get together. I'm not sure why I enjoy it, it's a lot of work. Slicing,breading, and frying.
This year we were faced with the possibility that we might lose our house. About six months after I lost my job, things went from bad to scary. My husband has two jobs, and because of the economy, had his hours cut back. We had excepted the fact that we would have to become renters again. Wow! After all these years. I had to tell myself, its just a house. I could convince myself that it was just sentimental.
In the early spring, my father-in-law stumbled over his feet and took quite a fall. He and his wife had been doing OK, except his memory had started to go away. My husband had to go stay with them and try to nurse his dad back. Despite all his efforts his dad had to be placed in a home.
Then one morning he looked at me with doubt in his eyes and said, "looks like I won't plant the garden this year." Why would we possibly plant a garden in a yard that was attached to a house that we would soon have to leave?
A few days later I received a call from the bank. They had a program for us under the modification programs. Home sweet home would stay sweet.
The following weekend my husband planted the garden. He isn't here much, but my son,daughter-in-law, and myself take care of it.
My husband spends most of his time at his parents house, now caring for his mom, and visiting his dad. Although his dad know longer knows who he is, or whats going on around him. Alzheimer's has robed them of their relationship, yet they smile together and share hours together that are to be cherished.
He calls often to make sure we haven't forgotten to water the garden. And when he comes home he goes straight to the garden to check on its progress and to pull a few weeds. Last week he harvested the peas and this week I have refrigerator full of green onions.
It won't be long now before we have our annual zucchini fry!
