ELMER TELLS OF PINECRAFT

As Grandmother Olive said, Anna and I arrived safe and sound as did Eli and his wife.  Probably as you read this Eli and I are over at Albert and Olive's painting.  Olive went out and bought the paint she wanted, which is an off white or egg shell white.  You don't really notice the difference in color until you go from the egg shell into the white kitchen.

As most of the Amish and Mennonites have white throughout our homes up north, that is about what they are keeping in their cottage.  Except in the master bathroom.  Albert came with some mint green paint and said that Olive always wanted mint green in the house, but as that is against their ways up north, he was going to do it down here.  Olive has no idea this is coming.  Albert figured the master bathroom would be the place it wouldn't shock people.

Many of the cottages are painted all different colors inside that people wouldn't put in their houses up north.  We noticed that when we went through some other cottages when looking at cottages that were for sale.  There were blue, greens, pink, and more different colors.  I guess people were trying to color express themselves.  Another thing you can do here, but not up north.

Albert was going to paint the cottage by himself.  When Olive mentioned that, Eli and I decided he wasn't.  We told him, we would do the walls painting - he could do the trim.  He agreed.  Most people don't like to paint the trim as that is the hardest to do.

Another thing we ran into was the kitchen cupboards were beautiful.  They looked handmade.  The previous owner had them painted over.  When Albert was talking to the lady they bought the place from, he asked her about them.  She said that her husband's brother had hand made the cupboards and they had them shipped to Florida.  Her husband had put them up. Of course, that was many years ago.  When she remodeled she thought it would be easier to paint over the cupboards rather than sand them and restain them again.  Albert and Olive wish she hadn't done that and so do we.

We all talked of taking them down, striping them, restaining them and putting them back up, but decided it would take all our vacation to do that.  So we are going to let them go right now.  We made Albert promise that he wouldn't take that project upon himself.  Olive said she would make sure he didn't. If Olive says he won't - he won't - she will see to it.   They are going to check around and see what it would cost to have it done. Maybe next year, Eli and I can lengthen our vacations and do that for them. We also talked of Jean and David coming with their family.  With David, Michael, Edward and Thomas, they could do it faster than any of us could.  It would also give Jean, David and family a reason to come down.  Part of the family could stay at Albert and Olive's and part could stay at the cottage we are staying at.   So Jean and David, starting planning.

Albert and Olive wanted to pay us for doing the painting.  We told Olive, Eli and I each want one of her mince meat pies for payment.  That's it.  She home makes her mince meat.  She doesn't use store bought stuff.  Anna got a little upset and said she home makes her mince meat too.  I told Anna, Olive asked what we wanted for payment - so that is it.  Anna's is, of course, my favorite, but Olive's is top, also.   Got to keep peace between these women when it comes to cooking or baking.

All of our vacation has not been spent painting.  We did go deep sea fishing.  Anna was the only women that went with us.  The rest of ladies weren't interested.  Anna was a bit afraid that she would be the only woman on the boat, but when we got there, she was wrong.  Several women were on the boat.

We have eaten at Yoder's several times.  I have to teach John, as Eli and I paid the bill before Eli's step-father even saw it.  Eli's Mother and Step-Father and Olive and Albert have all seen we got some delicious meals - it was pay back time.  Anna has also cooked dinners for us all.  Women deserve a break from cooking all the time.

Also we have gone to the meals that are put on here for donations going to charity.  We enjoy listening to the music afterward.  Also got Anna and I three wheel bicycles so we can peddle around the place.  We also went into some of the shops near buy.  Ice cream is one of our favorites so we have walked or peddled to purchase ice cream cones.  Albert and I have played chess a few times.  Olive, Albert, Anna and myself have also played scrabble.  Sometimes we just go to Eli parents and sit to talk.   One thing about being down here - you can't say there isn't anything to do if you want.  Or just sit and relax.

John was not happy when he got home and all the snow was there.  He is now taking care of his farm and ours.  His friend is taking care of his farm and Eli's.  John is also helping at Sarah's Mother's farm.  Now he knows what we went through while they were gone.  He is a hard worker, we know all the jobs are getting done.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer