Slow Weekend in TheSmithGarage

We were down a leader at the Smith household this weekend (Mrs. Smith is sick) and some things had to get done around the house to prepare for another week in the lives of our children. So instead of spending most of my weekend in TheSmithGarage, I spent some time in the kitchen baking bread and a pie for a youth auction on Sunday.

Really? Mr. Smith is a baker? Ah - yes - I am able to actually admit to being a fairly talented baker. I have made my share of scratch pies for Thanksgiving and other events. I also hold the "Best Looking Cookie" award here in the Smith home. I will eat Mrs. Smith's cookies, they are good, but mine are better looking when they come out of the oven. One thing I must confess - I AM NOT a cook. I cannot come up with a recipe out of nowhere as Mrs. Smith often does - and have it taste equally delicious. I can measure, mix, set the oven to the exact temperature, and time it - all things that are very factual and precise, therefore - I am a baker.

No pictures - I guess my hands were messy with dough - but I made three loaves of bread that will be used for the coming weeks for sandwiches, and on occasion toast for breakfast. I also threw together (precisely measured) two pumpkin pies, one for the auction and one for us to eat. I make my crust from scratch, and the pumpkin puree was from some pumpkins we had for decoration in the Fall and later baked. I did find a two-egg recipe online at www.supercook.com where you can type in the ingredients you have on hand and it will bring up ideas of what you can make. Great place when the pantry is sparse.

I also had a chance this weekend to take Shelby out to Hooves for Harmony, a place that she volunteers that helps kids with special needs through horse therapy. Shelby has volunteered there for over a year. She used to work with a special horse named Peanut.

But late in the Fall, Peanut was agitated and gave Shelby a little scare. Shelby had worked with Peanut since she started volunteering there, and was Peanut's first rider that we know of. Needless to say, Shelby was not getting back on horses for a while. She continued to love and care for the horses, just didn't want to ride them. Most of the horses are rescued, a couple of newer horses were recently donated to the program that Hooves for Harmony puts on. Saturday was the day that Shelby decided she was ready to get "back in the saddle again." Here is Shelby on Rockie - the Arabian of the group.

I also got out on Sunday and pruned our fruit trees. We have pear, apricot, nectarine, orange, lemon, lime and several maple trees. Now is the time, so I figured while it wasn't raining, I would get right on that. So as we close out another weekend in the books, the only thing I made any progress on in TheSmithGarage was a little nightstand that we picked up at a thrift store - I'll give you a peek so you can wonder what becomes of it. So many pieces like this are out there right now for really cheap - and I like cheap.

I already have a coat of paint on it - it will be grey. I will try to finish it up next weekend and show off some pictures. Hoping that Mrs. Smith is on the mend and will be better again in no time.

Mr. Smith