Work Ethic

The transition to the country this past year hasn't always been easy.  For instance, there is the battle against the ticks, gnats, and mosquitoes.  We have more "projects" than we know what to do with, and I've found my organization skills lacking when we find ourselves in town, during mealtime, with no other option than (gross) fast filler food.

One aspect of country life that I didn't expect is the amount of work it takes just to keep our house and the surrounding property in working order.  Here is where the slaves kids come in handy.  Whether it's feeding the cats, taking care of the litter boxes (yes, our outdoor cats use litter boxes, I do not want them using my flower beds as a bathroom), hauling wood in for a fire, or the most recent, digging a trench so we can burn our "burn pile" (how's that for being technical?).  The "burn pile" area will then magically transform into our garden, and voila, vegetables.  Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I've been so surprised at how hard these kids can work.  They have learned to stick with jobs until they are finished.  They have learned that working can be fun.  They have learned not to whine when asked to do something, well, okay maybe not.  They can't be perfect.  Not yet.