So many things

 I forget how long it is since I blogged and was surprised that is was back in May.  At the same time we have had a few things going on.

After our vacation Karli and I finally opened our food trailer the WE Little Wok.  So many things have been learned over the summer and tweaks have been made.  It has been good though and I think we will be able to continue.  Not sure what the winter schedule looks like.

Kaj graduated from high school with honors on May 31st and 2 weeks later we had his party.  In between times we had a cow butchered in Floodwood so we had some good beef for his party.  He was very blessed by everyone that attended.  I just had a neighbor comment to me the other day that of all the graduation parties she went to Kaj was the only one that made sure to go around and have an actual conversation with everyone that came.  Proud Mom moment and so very glad that he understands gratitude and important relationships.

Kaj worked for Crawford Excavating again this summer and enjoyed it.  Skinner helped out here and there with them as well.  When he wasn't trying to get hay dry and baled anyway.  It was a very wet summer for trying to get the hay done.

Every Sunday this summer Kaj to of his female classmates fishing.  Lexi had never been fishing before and Molly I think had but not much.  They had a blast and did lake and river fishing.  Kaj and his classmates seem to have something almost every night of the week but their class for sure had movie night at Jake's house on Thursday and a campfire somewhere on Friday nights.  All in all a very memorable senior summer.

August 23rd Kaj moved himself into his dorm in Hibbing.  We got to visit for about 3 min and then he said we could go.  He came back for a little bit the following weekend but otherwise has not been home.  Granted we are just on week three as I write this but he didn't come home last weekend and isn't going to this weekend.  Very glad he is just hanging out up there and immersing himself in living in a different area.  We do miss him though.  It will never be like it was again.

I think we only saw Brandi twice this summer.  They have been working on projects at their own home which is good because that needs to be done as well.

All in all hoping for a bit of a quieter fall.  We shall see if that happens!

Oregon or bust!

 Skinner and I went to Oregon the day after he retired from Portage.  May 2nd we headed for Duluth, Doris brought us to the airport where we flew out at about 2:30 to Mpls.  We had a 3+ hour layover there and then flew to Portland, rented a car and drove to Newberg OR.  I did all the driving because it is just less stressful.  Skinner doesn't get as mad if he is navigating and I am driving with all that traffic.  The funny thing was that we are driving in the dark and he was so tired he would point to tell me which way to go.  In the dark with 4 lanes of traffic going the same direction that we were going!

Got to the room and crashed.  The next morning we grabbed a breakfast sandwich and went to Ed and Becky's farm to meet all of them.  It was a lovely time.  Such welcoming people, easy conversation and good stories.  Below are links to the videos that Skinner was in on the days that we were out there.  Tylyn is Ed and Becky's oldest daughter and Blakely aka nuggie is their granddaughter from their other daughter Brooke.  Nuggie was in love with Skinner which he loved as well.  She would have a fit if he took off without her.

We were only there 4 days and we didn't get to see any of their last 3 cows calve but we got to see lots of other calves.  Everything was green and warm.  Than back to MN where everything is mostly brown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdplzJJYViI 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-qd-dp5ny4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKE96PuBtWk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1r6gIimsU8

The food trailer Karli has been working on organizing and we are close to getting all our hook ups.  Electric is going in the ground today.  Propane was hooked up 2 days ago and Karli and I are picking up hoses tomorrow for water!  Then it will finally be time to start cooking!!!!!!!!!

Food Trailer

 The food trailer is here from Georgia!  The sister is here from North Dakota!  Let the cooking begin!  It will actually be a couple of weeks before we are able to open the trailer.  I am hopeful the next big purchase will be our first food order and then we can start making money instead of a steady stream going out.  

Kaj is doing Kaj things.  His summer job with the dirt work company Crawford Excavating has already started so he is happy to have something to do and income coming in.  

Grandpa is working hard on getting things ready down at 910 so we have room for freezers and such in the garage there.  Hopefully we will have power and propane in in the next couple of weeks.

Skinner has 5 more work days left and the day after he is done we are going to Portland Oregon to visit with some people that he has become friends with on Youtube for 4 days.

update

 Just received word that it will be about 3 to 4 more weeks and we will have the trailer!  Can't wait to finally be able to stand in it and maybe do some cooking!  Kaj is plugging along with school and is getting to do some logging before the spring thaw which seems to be right around the corner.  Skinner is counting down the days to retirement but I think his retirement schedule is filling up fast!

New Endeavors

 We are coming to the end of Kaj's senior year.  Whew it has been a bit of a haul since he has wanted to drop out of school since 1st grade!  But we are almost there.  Kaj has been working on the weekends driving skidder for Kent Anderson who happens to be who I worked for.  He has learned a lot is really enjoying it.

Brandi and Dave are still doing the work thing.  At Christmas they announced they were pregnant and shortly after that Brandi miscarried which was a total bummer.  But they seem to be enjoying their time remodeling and ice fishing.

Karli and I are starting an asian food truck in Grand Marais.  It will be great to have her back.  I just made the downpayment on the trailer and they will now begin construction.  Hope to have it the beginning of May.  It will be called WE Little Wok.

Skinner has 40 more working days in Grand Portage.  He will be done May 1st and then we leave for Portland for a few days on May 2nd I believe to go and visit some of his youtube friends that have a farm out there.  This will be our first big trip together that goes farther than Iowa or Wisconsin.

The farm animals are having to deal with a bit of a cold snap right now.  The chickens are doing fairly well with egg production and I certainly have a lot more demand for eggs given that a dozen eggs in town right now is $9 a doz.  I only charge $3.

All in all things are moving along.