A day in the life of this American.

I thought about my day...
When I read some of my international favorite blogs ,Often I think about the differences they know as their norms. Well I thought perhaps a day in the life of an American may be of a bit of interest to you.
Remember however I am an odd bird, My life is much more purposed in the simplicity of homemaking . So here you will see me at my employ.

After the children are nurtured the lunches made and the breakfasts had, kids dressed, we are off to the bus stop. I go each day with them. There is only one other parent that sometimes walks his son there/ the other two boys 5 and 6th grades are pleasant kids. One from a split family and is frequently absent the stop because he is split of custody. It would be so strange for a child living in two households split by divorce.
A walk around the block, animals fed, I wrote the thankful Thursday post.

Then to task.
The coat for dove was worked on for about an hour or two them off to the errands.
As I depart my neighborhood I am reminded of the loss in our economy. This car store is closed now a vacant reminder of the slump. It was once that I could hear the loud speaker on clear quiet days calling for the employee to get "line one" (answer the phone).
Now it is a silent ghost town.

This is the Mega Wal-Mart. A chain store that is intent on removing every "Mom and Pop" in the states. It is huge!
In the early morning few are not at a job, so I am free to tend to my errands.

I park very close to the garden department door. A trick I do to avoid the advertising maze of the mind numbing stuff.
See my new tires, today was the first day of no fear being behind the wheel. I am so glad to have a safe vehicle again.

This is what you see to the right.
More plants than at the garden center/ landscape store. If they had their way they would put them out of business. Americans mostly seam to love this cheep stuff. They are blinded by the greed and the stuff that is cheep to get and easy to find.
Debt is rampant!
The phsycoligy of the commercialism is intentional.

Before me a bit of a ghost town of sorts. During the day this is so.
Come here after normal work shifts and your tripping over others.

This is what I ran the gauntlet for. These are the shavings I use in the coop.
$6.50 a big bag. At the feed store it is $6.74 for less than a 1/4 bag of it.

I look to my right

down one of the many main isles.

Now to my left.
I often think of my time in Russia. A woman in line behind us (as we Americans were let and placed in the front of the line) she was looking at one of the 4 or 5 potatoes left on the shelf in an old basket to choose from. As if she was pleading in her heart that I not buy it. Now this....Sickness is in my soul when I look at it. Yes I am More than grateful to live in this awesome land...,but at what cost are we selling others into for our own greed?

As I turn to leave, a flash of these. Boxes of them stacked to my left hand.

BBQ grills line the isle to my right behind me...

See the empty parking lot. In the evening this is packed!
Day hours of a homemaker really are a treat.
Crowds are a very unpleasant thing to me.

As I exit I see the street form whence I came. This is a back street that is in an industrial park. I love the tree lined cobbled lane. It is not a normal thing here. But me the mountain girl will find tree lined beauty where I am able. I will go out of my way to travel these roads.

I caught a train as I pulled down the road to the left. It was going so fast that I hardly was able to snap these shots out the sky roof.

It was just three cars long. Some sort of administrative car in the back. It was traveling 50-70 miles per hour and just flew by! I was stunned at the speed. That is not common for them to go so fast. All in all less than 3 minutes from bars down to stop and bars up to go.

I am shooting through the sun roof. The images to follow may be off angle.

I headed east a way maybe 5 miles then north 5 miles to what I often see...
This was my turn so I had to pass it and then turn around just past the intersection.
Love the taxi.

My destination.
Not a great area of town but I needed chicken food.

So with the shavings and the chicken food ,

The dog kennel in the back I continue on...

Behind me lots of hay and straw.

If you can see all the men in the parking lot ...These are day laborers .They are men who stand on the street all day with a hope of work to feed there families. Often sending most of the earnings home to south America. Many are illegals who are a target of a lot of feelings from the citizens. Some have mercy on them some do not.
They do the work that many are to proud to do. They do work hard to.
One day when Beloved was having a business meeting at work...he needed to take doughnuts for the crew. I was with the children who were asking of these men who lined the streets so desperate. After I explained about life in Mexico and Guatemala the kids and I went and got doughnuts and gave them to the men. The men were so stunned at kindness. They Understood me when I said "adios" God be with you.

A city bus behind me. In this part of town more folks us the bus. In some places few would use it. For it is beneath them or a terrifying option less desired that just staying home.

Full circle now I have gone back west and south to the grocery. I am friends with the produce fellow. He gives me the stuff that they would throw away for the hens.
I go back to the back and he gets me the boxes. Check out the sign on the cart. Funny. I noticed it only after the down load of pictures.
Those walls are lined with produce yet to be displayed.
This was free! I am a bit of a Ruth in this, and I have been given favor.

One that was loaded I head back in to shop.
My list is very small this week.

First I gleen the organics and the things that are normally very expensive. I never know what I might find. This week Mint and rosemary for meals. Perhaps I will thaw a leg of lamb I have frozen at home.

This is the view

I came for this...

Yum.

Looking to my right toward the back of a typical American grocery in the western states.

I just stand amazed at the abundance. Most is "cheep: as in poor quality food. Made with byproducts and empty calories.

This was the other lead in I came for. Lead in add items are designed to get you in the door to spend more money.

This is the other lead in I came for. I will get several and freeze them.

I got a free pizza with a lead in on pop. I will surprize Dad and Dove with it this week end.

another of my favorite side lanes anothe business park. I take a short cut through it just to feed my mountain girl soul. I like to see the leaves clap their hands in the breeze and the leaves on the road are a bit of the "back Eastern" ffel that is fond to my heart. Though I hail from the far north west I love the fall like nature of leaves on the road way. Here the cobble stone is so wonderful to me. I know it is just a simple thing but I go out of my was just a bit to be surrounded by it. It is good for my soul.

So It is time to unload.

This is a free box of feed look at that. We throw this away!
You who are in India and Russia forgive me the embarrasment to admit it.

So this is the old refridgerator I found on the side walk. I keep the chicken feed in it and the large items when I cook in mass to freeze or entertain.

My new freezer is on that is so wonderful , However It has been a tool yet. I have not had a moment to even see it as the toy I once would of felt as if it were. I am so amazed by the abundance of my life.

I buy in bulk when there is a lead in that is 50% or more off
Today I spent 100. and my total savings was ove $50. so 1/3 off my total bill is very good. It does not reflect the manager speicals however. So the bill is much more a 50% or mor reflection.

This is the chees that we will have for several months. Daddy Man uses it and so does Dove.

This is the freezer side of the refer. Those are the breakfast cookies for Mr U. in the mornings. I make quaduple batches and freeze them. Wash the pans once and heat the oven one time.
Bread is one of the next "learn hows on my list".

We make home made lunches. I got this more than 50% off so I just freeze it. When I run out of something I just pray and ask God for it and wallah...it will be found on a clearance or one a very good sale. It happens all the time and this is my
UNCOMMON LIFE
I got my wage for switching the laundry loads.
A day like today is best not to hang on the line.
I am stretched far to thin.

I purose the left overs and choose the oldest one out to use it up. Today Tuna. My lunch is the left over from dinners. See my eggs they are so cute! Omelet for supper tomorrow.

I bag the produce for the hens useing the bags from the shop or recycled from other things. Today my cloth bags were land locked in the truck by the kennel.

Look what I found in the box!
I gleaned it and gave some to the dogs. It will be seperated.
One little flaw and it is thrown out for few will purchase imperfects.
In Russia they would have stampeeded for this.

The hens got grapes, spenach and tomatoes today. Along with the lettus.

After all was done the wire basket is in great shape.
I will be making somethin "brocolli" this week.
The other will be used for dog food or in the compost.
Chickens might like it too.

Well I had three bites of lunch and it was time to take the first dog to the vet.
I came home briefly and had the rest then took the other dog to the vet.
I forgot the camera.
So by then I pulled in a few minutes before the childrens bus came.
We played a bit and had a snack.
Got a phone call a child desired a playdate.
Her and the Grandfather came, the Granfather told me It was time I took a nap! Ha!
We visited untill 4:30
I made a supper after homework and spelling tests.
Beloved and I are playing the game of pass the piggy at the table with the kids as a manners tool.
They are suprizingly loving it. Who ever is left with the piggy at the end has to clear the table.
so...They played a bit more.
Beloved and I did the kitchen.
Kids bathed and I am here resting.
Daddy read to them after teeth brushing and I am done.
except for a shower and a nice warm bed in and hour or so.
I hope that it was a fun day to see for you.
What is your life like on a day in the life???
If you leave me a comment I would love to know, and tell me what you think.

Oh Dash Need a breathing treatment so I got him on that.
He is having an asthma attack. Dove washed his hair with hand soap :(
Arg....
tomorrow I get to stay Home!!!!!!!Ya!

In response to Amrita...
Who wrote...Thanks for the tour.

Indeed Americans live in a Paradise like world.You have much to thank God for.

And we are grateful for what we have.

I just wonder what American tourists think when they come to our land.

Hopefully they gain some humility
:)