05/14/2007

Chores, chicks, puppies make for a fun day

Much is accomplished by working together

By Lovina Eicher
The Amish Cook
Read past Amish Cook columns here

5:45 a.m.: It's Monday morning and my husband Joe has the day off from work, so we slept later than usual. Joe helps me with preparing breakfast while our five oldest children get ready for school.

6:30 a.m.: We eat a meal of eggs, fried potatoes, bacon, cheese, toast, juice and milk. I fix a bigger breakfast since Joe is home to eat with us.

7 a.m.: Our five school-age children leave for school. We sat out on the front porch before they left while they ran around outside. Now that they are off to school, the three youngest are playing nicely with their toys. Joe helps me with the dishes. Then I gather laundry while Joe fills the washing machine and rinse tub with water. Joe puts the laundry through while I hang it up outside. It is a very nice day and all three children are out, playing in the sand.

10:15 a.m.: Had a big laundry and the lines are filled. I sure was glad to have Joe's help. It goes much faster than when I do it alone. Now I work on helping Joe fix up a warm place for our 70 chicks that arrive tomorrow. They are only 1 day old. Forty are butchering chicks and 30 are laying hens. They need 90-degree temperatures, and with the cooler mornings and evenings we've been having, we decide to make room for them in the back entrance of our old house.

11 a.m.: While Joe finishes getting the feeders and water troughs ready, I check the laundry and get in about half of it. It's windy and sunny and is drying fast.

Noon: I make salad and sandwiches for our lunch. After lunch we look at the newspaper while rocking Kevin and Lovina. Kevin falls asleep, but Lovina doesn't. She goes outside again with Joe and Joseph.

1:30 p.m.: We discover that our dog, Frisco, is having her pups. She has three, but the first one is stillborn. Joseph and Lovina are excited to see the pups.

2 p.m.: Joe comes in to let me know the sky looks dark and it could rain. Just then it starts raining and he helps me get the rest of the laundry in. We manage to get it in before it has more than sprinkles of rain on the clothes. Then I fold laundry while Joe does some work in the barn.

3:25 p.m.: The children come home from school and are excited about the puppies. They come in to have snack of cookies and milk. I help them get their homework done.

4:30 p.m.: We all go help Joe tear down a little building beside our old house that we wanted down. We have someone come level the yard. It's almost ready for us to plant grass.

7:30 p.m.: We have a late supper of leftovers from last night that sisters Verena and Susan sent over. It makes for an easy supper, since we were all outside working. We have potato casserole, barbecued hamburgers and pork steak and corn, then we enjoy the brownies that my daughter Susan made when she came home from school.

9 p.m.: It's later for the children to be going to bed than usual. By the time they all have a bath, brush their teeth and we have our prayers, it is past their bedtime. It's been a long day, but it was enjoyable to work together.

Good night and God bless everyone. Here is a good brownie recipe. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Brownies

• 1 c. butter
• 2/3 c. white sugar
• 2/3 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1 c. flour
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 2 c. oatmeal
• 2 c. chocolate chips, divided

Beat butter, sugars and eggs until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and most of the chocolate chips. Spread into 9-by-13-inch pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Lovina Eicher is Old Order Amish. She hand-writes this column from her home in southern Michigan. Anyone with cultural or cooking questions can send them to: Lovina Eicher, The Amish Cook, P.O. Box 2144, Middletown, OH 45042. Read all of her columns online at www.record-eagle.com/columns/amish.