Two weeks done, one to go

The second weekend of SEI is often a good time to rest and charge yourself for the race of the last week. Maybe catch up on the garden, freezing and canning, prepare and refine the lessons you've planned for the final week, or Monday at least.

Garry started announcing early in SEI that his classes could come out on the second Saturday to see the farm, he'd tour them around with tractor and wagon,  like a hayride. It would be from 10 to 4 open house style, I did not need to make food. Then on Monday he invited the staff for later Saturday.  Shannon asked me what she could make to help out with dinner for the team, she volunteered to make potato salad and lemon meringue pies. They are really busy with teaching, garden, canning, Scott preached this morning and they are heading to Canada just four days after institute ends next Friday!

Friday after class we dropped off Esther and Clay by their apartments and made a quick stop for pork shoulder and some other groceries on the way out of the city. We had an impromptu hotdog roast planned for 5 pm with Steve, Jo and the boys at the Crawfords since we haven't met during institute. 

 I decided on pulled pork,  green beans and coleslaw for my part of team dinner. I picked the beans Saturday morning when I picked the cucumbers (those became pickles,  pickle relish- which will be finished later today) and got cut up for the student visitors, I popped popcorn and set up a place for all the food everyone brought while they were out on tour. The first group that is. Between 9:50  and 10:20, maybe 10:30, Garry filled a wagon full of people behind the big tractor and was off on tour. The Crawfords went along, but I had stuff to finish and later visitors to greet.

There were 27 including kids, Scott thought in group #1, they returned about two hours later and they had a picnic in the yard, while Garry was off on the tractor with another 6 or 7 people. By the time he returned we had another family of three here, for the last tour. After taking a few people out to the highway to catch the bus back to Dnepro (not everyone came by car) in the van, which became the tour vehicle because Max needed the tractor and wagon, the guys were baling hay, and had run out of wagons.

The little boy did get a short tractor before they left though. The had driven out in the car they'd just bought and registered that morning,  which was why they were later. Garry came in about twenty to four,  hot and thirsty, with time to run to the store for some kavas, with the team expected at four. Victor drove in with them about 3:50.

Garry took them on a shorter tour, and we had supper and a good time in spite of the flies. We ate dinner outside,  dessert inside,  both with more flies than we wanted.  I got most of them killed indoors later Saturday night.  Too many open doors yesterday!

After everyone left, I let Box out to play after processing my three jars of sweet spears.  She's locked in one of the spare rooms for the last couple weeks after the neighbors thought she'd injured a large chick. Then I worked on SEI stuff until almost one am. Box went back to her bedroom,  and I showered and crawled in bed. Literally, I twisted my knee, and am really limping. 

This morning Garry was up early, made feed for his cows again (he's just on weekends until we're done) then we were off to church in Dnepro with Alona,  baby Danil,  and Dima and Julia.  They were out for visit after going to the city to work a couple months ago. They have asked to come back. It turns out Garry was right when he showed them with numbers and budgeting on the whiteboard that it was better to live in the village. 

Garry's napping after going to two villages to breed cows. He was already dizzy while sitting in church. I think he needs to rest up for the upcoming week.

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