"You have died of dysentery"

Does any one remember "Oregon Trail"? Stocking your wagon, hunting bison, snakebites, funerals, oxen floating away at river crossings?

Classic.

I LOVED this game when I was in school. (who am I kidding, I'd love to play it now)There was something so satisfying about this game, not to mention that I was extremely nerdy (I still am) and did crazy flips for anything that remotely involved American history (I still do).

So, what does a nearly forty (!!) year old game have to do with my day to day life as a still too nerdy housewife? Easy!

Pantry stocking!

Three or four times a year we make a trek to the large Amish area in our state to pick up baking and pantry supplies. Steering away from the most tourist filled places, we shop at stores that the Amish themselves frequent, guaranteeing that we get very affordable prices and good quality products. But because we only go a few times a year, my shopping list looks like a packing list for someone making a cross-country wagon trip, lol.


Shannon's Oregon Trail Shopping List

10 lbs. Bacon
5 lbs. Rye Flour
10 lbs. Cake Flour
20 lbs. Whole Wheat Flour
1/2lbs. Baking Powder
1/4lbs. Thyme, Poppy Seeds, No-Salt Seasoning, Vegetable Flakes, Caraway Seed


We loaded everything in the 'wagon' and headed home.

And spent the next two days trying to find places to store 40 lbs. of goods, lol!

Ta-Da!

I can sew.

I love to sew.

I have everything I need to churn out clothing for my whole family.

And yet I never sew.


This is why:



I have no room. Everything pertaining to sewing and my crafting in general gets thrown into this corner of the office, because it really doesn't have a proper home. And every time I feel inspired to sew, I look at this mess and promptly change my mind.

This pile not only contains my sewing machine, but fabric, patterns, a weaving loom, yarn, needles, crochet hooks, magazines, ribbon,and is that a beach ball? Goodness sakes!


So I "Did Something" about the mess.

And now:




What a change!

And I liked it so well that I bought a second shelf for the other side of the window.



This is now my favorite room! I love working in here. And my daughter's desk is near enough that I can work while she is busy with school work. I has made me so productive. I'm on a roll!