Why am I blogging so late?

Well, I am awake and I have access.  Mainly because we are heading into West Plains before we sleep for a few hours before heading into St. Louis.  The children are all asleep.  We had showers at the local "resort campgrounds" where the owners told us we (and the rest of anyone else in the public who needs it as well as their campers) can use it for free.  We had ice-cream at the restaurant there after and had fun with a couple of the waitresses there.  I am still amazed at the absolute open friendliness of the people around here.

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We met one of our neighbors yesterday.  They came on quad-runners and were met halfway down the path (they were well on our property at this point) with Husband and K on K's quad, Husband holding a shotgun across his lap sitting on the front, and the handgun holster unsnapped.  We had no clue who was coming.  Hunters?  People looking for a remote place to make meth?  Someone looking to scavenge?  Tourist season is just beginning and from what the year-rounders say, it's the tourists who cause most of the problems.  Being on our own out here, we have to take care of ourselves.

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So, these people we don't know who are on our property and coming down to where we are got met by the men armed, but not drawn.  Come to find out, they are neighbors.  They were out four wheeling and heard noise and were thinking there were people here making meth or squatting or something.  They had mentioned that in the past when people had bought the property that they would stay for a week or two then leave.  We assured them that we were not going anywhere.  They also now know that yes, we are friendly, but we will also take care of ourselves.  (They also confessed that they would probably do the same thing and have had to shoot over people's heads before.)

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They also told us of another family on the peninsula that homeschools.  I am going to look them up next week.  From what the couple had said, the other family has a couple of boys in the same age range as these children.

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I am really liking having 275+ gallons of water on hand at one time.  We can drink water and do dishes and do laundry without worry.  We made sure all water bottles and the 275 gallon container were all filled up before we left.

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I am really looking forward to church.  I miss my church.  St. Louis, Rockford, Sycamore, Chicago, Detroit, etc.  It doesn't matter.  They are all MY church. 

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Well, I have more to share, but Hannah just woke up.