The Lake, a Bunny, and Cucumbers

Apparently we haven’t spent enough time lakeside yet this summer, because we’re off to spend time with some family out at Knut’s grandparent’s lake cabin today.  Honestly, I’m exhausted just thinking about it, but if there’s one weak spot in my “just say no” plan to running around all summer tendency… it’s the kids’ cousins.  I had such close, tight relationships with my cousins, and I want so badly for my kids to have the same.  They love hanging out with their cousins, and I just love that.  I have a really hard time saying no to cousin time.

We drove to Fargo yesterday to look at a rabbit for Silje.  My parents gave her the money to buy one for her birthday.  She has been so particular about the breed, that it’s over a month past her birthday and we still hadn’t found one.  I had found one holland lop (the breed she wanted) in a classified ad for the right price, and had arranged an appointment for us to see the rabbit yesterday morning.  With all the kids packed up for the mini road trip, I texted the lady selling the rabbit, and let her know we were running about 15 minutes behind schedule.  She texted right back that she was sorry that she forgot to text me, but she sold the rabbit the night before.  However, she had a half holland lop, half fuzzy lop bunny for us to see, if we wanted to.

I was annoyed and upset, but remembering all the times I forget to message people back, I told her I understood, and that we were going to look at a few other rabbits first, but would it be okay if I texted her if my daughter didn’t like the other rabbits and she still wanted to see the one she had left.  Anyway, the lady said she would be home all day, and just come on over if we wanted to see it.

So I decided since I’d promised the kids a trip to Fargo, we’d just go.  The pet store there said last time that they expected some Holland Lops in any day, and just going there cheers Silje up.  When we got there we saw they had gotten many new rabbits, but no Holland Lops.  Silje fell in love with a Netherland Dwarf bunny, and said “let’s just get this one.” She does this thing, where we decide what she wants before we go shopping, and once we get to the store the money burns at her, and she feels that the worst travesty is going home without buying anything.  Contrast that to me who feels its a travesty to go home with something you don’t want.  Not to mention, the pet store bunny was $5 over her budget.

I told her that we should think about this bunny, and come back next week.  If she still wanted it once we got home, when her head was clearer, I’d bring her back.  Once we got to the van, she started to cry.  She had been waiting so long for a rabbit, she felt that she’d just bring any one home at this point.

I asked her if she still wanted to take a look at the half holland lop/half fuzzy lop from the classifieds lady.  It’s the closest thing we’ve found to what she wants.  She said she did.  So I texted the lady again, and a few minutes later we were in a really nice neighborhood, looking through a rabbit hutch near a playground and Silje saw “Muffie.”  It was love at first sight.  I could see from Silje’s face that this was the bunny, and it took her less than a minute to say “I’ll take her!”

The lady we bought her from was so nice.  She just smiled at all the kids, and said, “I was the oldest of 5 kids too!  We lived on a farm, do you live on a farm?”  I said, yes.  She looked at Silje and said, “I hope you intend to show this rabbit in 4H.  I just loved being in 4H!”  Silje told her all about some of her 4H fair projects.

Then this lady told Silje that she put herself through college through 4H.  She said technically she got scholarships, and got a part time job, and those 2 together paid cash for her tuition.  But her whole childhood she saved up her 4H winnings, and by the time she got to college, all of her living expenses for 4 years were paid from that fair savings.  She told Silje she should save up everything, from every blue ribbon to every auction, and stick it in a savings account.

When we got home, Muffie entertained the kids for hours as I got some dill pickles set up for fermenting, using a new recipe from The New Midwestern Table cookbook that is my new favorite.  Our cucumber plant accidentally got pulled up by one of the kids thinking it was a weed.  Fortunately, Knut’s aunt has cucumbers growing like crazy this year and has been giving me bagfuls of them.

We have to wait at least 6 weeks to taste them.  I’m torn between making more with this recipe, or traditionally canning the rest of the cucumbers.  I won’t know for 6 weeks if we like them this way.  Well, we’ll see.  I don’t have time today anyway.  The lake is calling.