My Soldier

                                         
Yesterday We dropped off our son Nick at the hotel where he will be staying until he leaves for Fort Jackson for Army bootcamp. Needless to say I cried buckets. This morning I got up to an empty house and cried some more. I am sure there are going to be a few more episodes of this type to come but I am so proud of him and would not for anything takes this from him. Nick has wanted to be in the Army since he was 6 years old. He was voracious in accumulating as much army stuff he could from second hand stores and garage sales. He read everything he could get his hands on and watched many movies on the subject. (Including the Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook.) So I guess I have been "preparing" myself for years.

Life is going to be changed so much now that my youngest has flown the coop. I am so grateful to have so many things to keep me occupied through it all!

Summer Kitchen

summer kitchen:

 

noun

an extra kitchen, usually detached from a house, for use in warm weather.

I'm in the process of getting my summer kitchen set up. It's in the back room closed off from the rest of the house so as not to cause the air conditioner to work more than needed because the temperatures here in Phoenix can get up to 110 and more in the summer.

I decided to add a small convection oven this year because I figure it will pay for itself with what I save by not buying baked goods at the bakery. Other small appliances out there are 2 crockpots, a roaster, rice cooker, bread machine and an electric fry pan.

One day I am hoping that I will actually have a real working kitchen back there but until then I'll just keep "winging it". :)