The Tempermental Diva is Almost Ready

We found out what is the matter with the Diva-- it's something with the fuel injector. Our mechanic is very nice and making it affordable to us to fix her up. If I had a million dollars, I think that I would give some to a mechanic like him to fix cars for people like my family. I don't know what I would do without him, but what he is doing will also increase the fuel efficiency of my SUV. At first I was like, "It's only going to help with three extra miles to the gallon." He laughed and said, "You have a 30 gallon tank!" Oh-- never mind! That's a hundred extra miles! Do it, do it! I get about 12 MPG as it is-- increasing it by a fourth is a very nice thing!

We want to take the kids out to the bay this year in a community called Homer. Can you believe that I've never taken them to salt water where there are crabs and sea shells and clams? My husband and I went to some sporting outfitters and found some affordable tents and sleeping bags. I so much hope we can do it! If it's too much to take the Diva, we will have my husband go in his little car with Princess Cloud, Guy, Basil and Dmitri. It will be a tough journey with the four of them, but they can manage it and have SO MUCH FUN. I'll probably be pulling my hair out with the three babies by the time they get back, but c'est la vie. The point is for them to see salt water and to sleep in tents and new sleeping bags. My husband wants to get two tents-- one for me and him and one for the kids with my 18 year old overseeing the kids which she is fine with. I told him that he and I had better get the bigger tent because before the night is through, all the kids will be coming in to be with us!

He wants to buy me some cooking utensils. I want an iron Dutch oven. He says I am trying to be too fancy, but I hate tomato soup and sandwiches like he thinks I should make. Canned soups and sandwiches just don't turn me on or even give me a reason to want to live. When I was in labor, my favorite OB, Dr. Lawrence would tease me that there was a delicious lunch or dinner awaiting me if I had the baby by a certain time. He'd find out and tell me what it was and oh dear, he said Beef Bourguignon and I was in so much pain-- I asked what time they were serving and he said around 6 and I had Calamity Jane by 5:30. "Just stitch me up, get the kid to the nursery and don't waste my time here. Where's dinner?" (I hadn't been allowed to eat during labor because I'd had c-sections before.) Had he said that tomato soup and sandwiches were being served, I'd still be in labor with her and she is almost six years old! No-- when you camp or give birth or really, do anything else, you need to have the best food you can afford.

I hope to have the Dutch oven working well and using it before we go. The boys will help me more if I cook outside.

We are getting cheap sleeping bags for the kids-- my ex husband bought my elder two some really nice sleeping bags and they took them out of where I put them for storage and put them ontheir beds and they destroyed them. My husband said that this is what kids this age do-- we will get them bags that they may not use that much, that won't last for forever, but will serve a purpose.