Snowed In

We had expected to spend Friday night in Lansdale, PA with our friends Sam & Alice Rittenhouse.  That turned into three nights when a snow storm dumped about 12 inches of snow in Lansdale.  It snowed from Saturday morning through early Sunday morning.

Alice and Sam
We were blessed by their hospitality, they made us feel like family. Thank you Sam & Alice!

Margaret took a number of photos after the storm.  You can view a slide show of them here.

The storm dumped twice as much snow at our home in Smyrna, De – 24 inches. Margaret stayed in touch by phone with our neighbor who kept telling us, “Don’t come back yet.”  It was Monday before the streets in our development where plowed but there was still a lot of snow between the road and our front door.  Monday afternoon we decided to go home after our friend Jim Tracy offered to meet us there and help us get into the house.  On the way back we got a call that two other young men from church were also going to come by and help did us out.

All of the roads on the ride home were in pretty good shape.  This was our last turn off of the main highways toward home.

The street into our development.

Margaret talking to Corey Clampitt, on the right, and his son Tony (in red).
Home at last!  Tony and Corey had much of our parking spot done by the time we arrived.

You can see there is still a lot of snow between them and our front door.

Our shovels are in the shed on the left with a snow drift half-way up the door.  I don’t think we’re going to get to them soon!

Jim Tracy showed up and helped finish from our sidewalk to the front door.

Jim brought his dog Baby Girl with him. Margaret helped out by holding her leash.  That worked fine until Baby Girl decided she wanted to explore the show drifts and Margaret tried to keep up with her.

Corey taking a well earned break while Tony takes a turn with their large snow scoop.

Jim, Corey and Tony finishing the last bit up to our front door.

What wonderful unplanned blessings we have enjoyed from our Father during this event: an extended time of fellowship with good friends, Sam & Alice; and the Lord sending us three young men from church at just the right time so we could get back into our home. God is so good to us. PTL!

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Pet Sitting

We have been pet sitting for friends the past few days.  Over the weekend we had our friend Jim Tracy’s dog, “Baby Girl”, a Red Bone Coon Hound.  She and Jim have been to our house numerous times so she was very comfortable being with us.

Baby Girl thinks she is a lap dog!

She was a good house guest.  It is a good thing we have a king size bed!  She slept between us all night.

Baby Girl went home Sunday afternoon and Sunday night we got our friend Sandy’s cat, “Odie”, pronounced Oh’-dee.  Margaret and I had both met Odie at Sandy’s house but this was to be his first visit with us.  We were not sure how he would do in a new environment.  We need not have worried.  He did just fine.  After and hour or so of cautious investigation he made himself right at home.

This is where he spent most of Monday afternoon napping.  Margaret said he is our first visitor who can do nothing for as long as I can!

Odie also slept between us on the bed.  He did not take up nearly as much room as Baby Girl.  He is also very helpful around the house.  He inspects the waste baskets for us and today got into the clothes dryer to help with laundry.  Odie goes home tonight or tomorrow.

Being “grandparents” to pets has the same advantage as with kids—you get to send them home when you’re finished.

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Margaret's Goose, Part 2

Margaret fixed the goose today.

Here Margaret is removing the apple stuffing from the goose

The carved goose, ready for serving.  It tasted delicious.  We had been told that it would be greasy but that was not the case.  The flavor was quite mild.

The table is set and we're ready for dinner

Margaret invited Jim Tracy (center) to sample the bird he had helped to prepare. On the left is Jim's friend, Teresa. On the right is our daughter Sheri, and her son Patrick Sean

Margaret in the center

(Jim got the goose feathers. He want's to make something with them.)

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins

Margaret's Goose

Canada Geese are a very common sight where we live.  Margaret has never eaten one and asked a friend if he knew a hunter who would be willing to give her one to cook.  It wasn't many days before she got a phone call that there was a goose waiting for us in a cooler on our front porch.

The bird was almost as long as Margaret is tall!  It weighed 11 lbs 8 oz at this point.

I'm a city boy. My meat comes wrapped on styrofoam trays from the grocery store. When Margaret said she had to dress the goose, I expected her to get her sewing machine out.  Instead, our friend Jim Tracy volunteered to help her get the bird ready.

This is what we ended up with. It should be good eatin' this weekend!

In His name,
Chaplain Sam Houchins