MY AMISH HOME: Watching for the paper police | Home & Garden

It’s Tuesday again already. Another week has flown by. And today is a good day to write. It seems too warm to do anything else, just sit by the fan, write and drink iced tea. Sounds good, doesn’t it? The mornings have been awesome, though, lately. Cool, quiet, moonlit. But yeah, by the time the sun comes up, it brings a heat wave.

I am always glad I have the opportunity to be outside so early. It is especially nice if the dogs are silent. They aren’t always.

I almost cannot fathom that it is already time to write again. And oh my! Another National Stupid week. I guess it isn’t nationwide. (Or is it??? Some things are better left unsaid) But anyway here in my little world, yes, I can do it.

When I discovered the second stupid thing this week, the first one, well — that left me weak and disgusted with myself. The second one, I almost fainted. My tummy still isn’t settled.

I am a scribe for two community newspapers, one is “The Budget” out of Ohio, an International paper of Amish and Mennonites, the other is “Die Botschaft” out of PA. It has just Old Order and Horse and Buggy Mennonites as scribes. Although anyone out of those circles can subscribe.

Both papers have tablets for the scribes with the newspaper’s letterhead on it. These tablets are used for your newsletter to send it in to the paper.

Well, when I run out, I just make copies. I made at least a dozen copies last week for “The Budget” or so I thought. And this morning I got a paper for my “Budget” letter, Die Botschaft is lined, The Budget is unlined. Then, that is when it hit. The paper was unlined but had Die Botschaft letterhead and I sent one to the Budget last week! Groan! Now what?! Maybe I’ll be OK. The paper police hasn’t shown up at my door. Yet.

This is now later, high noon, and it is warm, 95 degrees with the heat index showing 122 degrees. Now that’s warm. I am so glad I mowed the yard yesterday. I didn’t get it mowed last week.

Partly because I had too many other things going. One was my life line screening test. That was tough. I had to do a fasting. My appointment was for 11:30 a.m. My fast actually started at 8:00 p.m. the evening before. So yes, by the time my fasting was done, I was famished and dehydrated. When I got home I ate lunch, drank water, drank protein, drank water, drank water and….

I was just too drained to do anything the rest of the day and the next day being Friday, well Friday and Saturday are never good days to mow. So yesterday after mail stuff, letter writing, laundry, in that order, I decided to go do the trimming so I can mow today. After my writing.

Well when I got done trimming. I decided I still have time to do some mowing before I have to make supper. So I did. After supper I was like, I have to go mow. But first the dishes. Yes, yes, mother! Then I did a “Jane thing”. Or she used to do it. Maybe she doesn’t anymore, lets her dishes dry by themselves in the sink. I tossed a towel over them and was out the door, thinking, I‘ll just mow a part, but as it often happens, I’ll mow then think, I can still mow another part. And before I know it, I’m done! Yay!

So now, when this is done, I can do something else. I’ll probably get things ready to do daughter Rachel’s beets tomorrow. She wants pickled beets made. They’ll be hosting church services in a few weeks and I almost never help her get ready. With my erratic schedule, it is hard for me, but this is something I can do and I love making pickled beets.

In closing: To err is human but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you are overdoing it.

Do you want pie, but don’t want to heat up the kitchen with baking? Try this.

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened

1 carton (8 ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in sugar and peanut butter. Gradually add milk. Fold in whipped topping; spoon into the crust. Sprinkle with peanuts. Chill overnight.