Chewlee And Gunner.....

Today I got a visit with Chewlee and Gunner.  It was really cute.  Remember how Chewlee did NOT want a brother when her mother was preggers?  Well, you wouldn't have believed she ever meant it if you had seen her playing with Gunner.

She was wrestling with him and being a big rough but the whole time he had the biggest grin on his face.  He never changed that look no matter how rough she got.  He loved it.  He loves his Sissy (but sometimes calls her Bubba..go figure!) and you can tell.  Chewlee had come into my computer room and put on her cartoons (I always let her do that and find I like some of them...LOL).  She had closed the door.  Gunner ended up outside my door with his mother because he wanted to be with Sissy.  The Princess opened the door for him and he got a huge grin on his face when he saw her.  He ran into the room and over to the chair Chewlee was sitting and climbed in her lap.  

He wasn't interested in the cartoons she had on and when he started to climb on her, she knew he wanted to play.  So she got down on the rug and started turning in into different positions (most looked like gentle wrestling holds).  I know there's no such thing as gentle wrestling but I don't know what else to call it.  She let him pin her down a couple times.  But it was the huge grin on his face that I noticed more than anything.  When he needed to stop and rest for a bit, I played peek-a-boo with him.  Big grin.  

It was a big contrast to the other day when he was here and whining and crying.  He had one of his premolars coming through (it's now fully exposed) and it made him so miserable.  There was really no comforting him.  But today he was the baby that we all know and love.  Just so adorable.  You want to just hug and squeeze him.  He's still a bit distant with me but it's getting better.  He does give me a hug and a kiss when they leave but he has only come to sit with me a few times so far.  

The first time I visited at the new house, he had the most shocked look on his face.  We all laughed because it was just that he usually saw me at MY house and it was a bit of a shock to him that I was there.    He was too young when I was coming to their old house for various reasons.  If I had been there more often, it would have been better as far as his being more relaxed around me.  But he's starting to actually talk and answer you when you ask him a question.  Chewlee says he would talk more if there was a need to but he has his own way of letting you know when he wants something...especially if he wants to cuddle.  

When I filled up his sippy cup with milk, he said *thank you* and closed the door of the refrigerator after I put the container back into it.  I told him *thank you* and said what a big boy he was for doing that for Grandma.  Big grin.  I love that grin.  

He's really a very happy baby.  He's just a year and a half old but I know how fast time passes.  He will be in school in nothing flat and out of that adorable stage he's in now.  But I think his personality will have him making friends in nothing flat.  He's so active and happy 95% of the time.  Teething makes him miserable but he will eventually have all his baby teeth in and be out of that stage.

He loves pretzel sticks.  I had some here in my computer room and he couldn't get enough of them.  Chewlee complained that he had already eaten and had eaten a LOT of strawberries, which was actually dessert.  He's s good eater and will eat anything.  There's nothing the Princess has made that he hasn't eaten with gusto.  I've seen him eat broccoli and cauliflower, both plain and with cheese sauce.  He doesn't care...he eats everything on his plate.  I love it!  No fussy baby here!

I hated to see them go.  Chewlee wanted to spend the night but I knew the Princess wouldn't let her.  She has no extra clothes here, not even a pair of panties.  I sent what I had home with her one day just because I don't have her all the time and I knew she would be outgrowing them before she could wear them when she was here.  I was right, too.  She's grown 3 inches just this past year and only gained 3 lbs.  She has the same slim frame that her mother had at that age.  

I had to laugh at Chewlee who declared, *I'm 9*.  I told her not yet because her birthday isn't until May.  She laughed and said, *I know.  I'm just practicing*.  I told her not to be in such a hurry to be older because this is the best time in her life.  She would look back when she is my age and understand that growing older is NOT what she should be wishing for.  

I found out that the miniature goats that the Princess and Johnnycakes are getting aren't even born yet.  They are buying them from a man that raises them and he has several goats that are pregnant and due very soon.  They will have to wait just four weeks after they are born to get them but they will be visiting them when they are still with their mothers.  That way it won't be so strange for the kids when they have to leave their mothers.  I kind of thought that four weeks was kind of strange.  They will still be babies and need their mother's milk, won't they?  Oh well.  I guess I have to wait and see.  I plan to go see them once they are at the Princess'.  They are so adorable.  I haven't seen a miniature goat in ages but they are so damn cute.  They are very social by nature and they love attention.  It will be fun for the kids (Chewlee and Gunner) and I know that the Princess can hardly wait to get them.  Johnnycakes has their pen almost ready.  The Princess said he has all the posts in now and about half of the pen done.  I should have asked if they were using wire or just wood.  

Well, it's very late and I need to get my butt into bed.  It was fun having the kids here today and getting to watch Chewlee with her brother.  If Gunner were not so attached to his mother still, I would have both of them here for a sleepover.  But such is not to be.  Not yet anyway.  LOL!

Love you all.  OH, BTW...my nephew Michael stopped by today.  He brought me a present.  Vodka!  Yes, and good stuff too.  It's Platinum vodka...seven times distilled is their big claim to fame but it's good stuff.  I loved him just for thinking of that.  It was nice to just sit and talk with him.  I found out a few things I hadn't known about his dad and his ex-wives.  He was once married to a lawyer from a wealthy family.  I had no idea she was a lawyer.  That must have been a *fun* divorce....LOL.  Be good and take care of your health.  It's no fun to be sick.  A friend from my childhood died a few years back just because she hadn't taken care of herself (I mean she never saw a doctor except in an emergency room!).  See your doctor regularly.  It's important!  ***Hugs***

I Think I've Caught Something.....

The past couple of days have been kind of strange ones for me.  I thought it was the cold weather but I actually think I have some kind of *bug*.  It's not a bad one, mostly it's annoying and uncomfortable at times.  First, I have kind of lost my appetite.  Nothing appeals to me now that my split pea soup is gone.  Even the idea of chicken broth doesn't appeal.  I tried eating a slice of the Chicago Italian bread that the Beast buys because it's just so delicious and fresh but with a great crust on it.  I admit that it's one of my favorites for any kind of sandwich or just plain with (real) butter on it.  But I managed to eat about half of a slice and ended up throwing it up later.  

I thought at first that it may be that my sugar is screwing up but, when I checked it, it was about where it should have been (like my count after a night's rest).  Then I checked my temperature and found out that it was up whenever I started getting *that* feeling.  After I would vomit, my temperature would go down.  However, I was suffering from an elevated temperature while sleeping because I woke up a couple times and was just covered in sweat.  This was without using my electric blanket (it wasn't even covering me).  But the fever would abate and I would be fine.  What the hell is going on?  I can't even get in to see my regular doctor until Tuesday now (I did leave a message for his nurse).  It's not bad enough to bother the emergency room doctors.  Besides, I am almost superstitious about going there.  They always seem to find something wrong with me...LOL.  I am not up to a hospital stay right now, TYVM.  Especially since it's more bothersome than scary.  I really feel like I have a touch of flu but, if I do, it's mild because I got my flu shot a couple months ago.  

Oh, don't worry...if it gets more persistent or worse, I will make that trip.  I won't like it but I will do it.  I intend to live longer than the Beast, after all.  LOL!

I am shocked at the way the chickens are growing.  I may go out to the coop and take some more pictures tomorrow afternoon if I am up to it.  I went out there today and I think they've grown a couple inches in just a few days.  They also seem to be starting to *bulk* up a bit.  I'll post the pics on here (I may have the Beast hold one so you get some idea of perspective).  You be the judge.

The Beast hasn't said anything....yet....about baby goats or anything else that's crazy.  I had once posited the idea of getting ONE goat to keep the grass down on both our lots and save him a bit of mowing.  He thought I was nuts then and I will remind him of that if he ever brings up the idea.  I do NOT want him to act like we really have a farm here.  We don't have 10 acres of land like the Princess and Johnnycakes does.

She posted pics of miniature cows (I hadn't seen them before) and they are so damn cute!  But they remind me of sturdy dogs and are very long haired.  They look *fluffy* and cute.  But I can't even imagine that here at our house.  No way!  And eating them?  Impossible to think of when you see their cute faces.  The Princess could manage them at their place...with some fencing...and I could enjoy seeing them there.  That works for me.  I'm actually looking forward to seeing the baby goats.  They are the miniature ones and I've seen them on TV and at petting zoos.  I think they are cute.  I just don't think they should keep them too close to the house.  Their poo DOES have an odor.  And it attracts bugs.  Yuk!

The Beast found out that he will have to open up the vents in the barn.  He blocked them off to help keep the cold out when the chicks were not fully fledged.  As it is, they still haven't gotten all the feathers on their necks.  But the reason for that is the gas that their urine emits as it accumulates.  That's one of the reasons you need to let the birds outside as much as possible.  

One more interesting thing we found out was that the birds will share their nesting areas.  We won't have to put up individual boxes for each of the chickens once they start laying eggs.  You can figure that each box will accommodate up to six chickens each.  They don't lay eggs on a schedule so you probably won't find two birds in one box together.   Wonderful!  So when is a good time to check for eggs?  Or do you do it several times a day?  All questions we need to find out or else just take a *wait and see* stance on that.

Did I tell you that raising chickens that aren't bred for commercial use and fed the same kinds of feed have thicker shells than the eggs you buy at the store?  I kid you not.  It's the reason you don't have to refrigerate them and they will even keep for a couple weeks on your counter.  That was shocking to me but even the Princess' neighbors told her that when they were sharing information with her about what to expect and what to do with her chickens.  

They also kill and clean their chickens and other things that they shoot.  They eat what they kill so they aren't dumb about how to prepare them.  Johnnycakes is excellent at field dressing larger animals since he's an experienced hunter.  His father bragged to us about that once.  I'm sure the Princess will do just fine...eventually...as a *farmer's wife*.  There are a few things she will have to learn as she goes but she's young and has the energy that it takes.  I am so jealous of the *young* and *energy* part of that.  *Sigh*  I remember MY days of that.

Well, bedtime now.  We just had a short power outage here.  No apparent reason for it unless some jerk hit a power pole after leaving the bar (it IS Friday night, after all!).  Love you all.  Remember to laugh as often as you can.  Let it out and don't worry about what others think.  It's good for your health, believe it or not.  It releases good endorphins and makes you feel better overall.  Have some fun.  Today is the only day you can be sure of.  Leave the past in the past.  Don't worry about the future.  Live your life to the fullest.  Love with your whole heart.  ***Hugs***

Today I Basically Hibernated.....

It was cold, overcast and humid today so I did what most people do...if they can.  I stayed under the covers, watched TV and napped.  I know if I had been an animal, I would have been one that hibernated during the winter....LOL.

The Princess and Gunner stopped by for a bit today.  I was napping when they got here and heard a baby crying.  I really thought it must have been from a movie the Beast was watching out in the living room.  At first.  Then I finally decided there was too much of it going on and got up to investigate.  There he was....Gunner, crying and miserable, which the Princess said he had been all day.  He's still cutting his premolars and they haven't gotten through.  I guess some days are just worse than others.  Even his mother holding him in her lap didn't make him feel better.

She finally realized that it was almost time to pick up Chewlee from school and had to leave.  BUT...I was surprised to find out that the Princess and hubby are getting some pygmy goats!  I guess Johnnycakes is building a pen for them so that it's ready when they finally arrive.  Pygmy goats are adorable and are more like dogs than typical goats.  I know they are just as cute as can be, even as adults.  They don't seem to get much bigger than spaniels and their babies are about the size of a normal puppy (and just as cuddly).  Johnnycakes said on FB that he expects to eat them but I don't think he will ever get the Princess to cook one for him.  First of all, she is getting them because they are so cute.  Secondly, she's never developed a taste for goat's meat.  It wasn't something our family ever made.  I learned to eat Jamaican meat pies (which are made with goats meat) but that was because I ate some before I ever found out what kind of meat was used.  With the spices they use, it doesn't really have an identifying taste of it's own.  The texture is very much like beef, so it would have been a guess that I would have have made.

I gather they are also getting some rabbits.  That's another thing that the Princess will never eat.  She's already told Johnnycakes that HE can eat them (and will have to cook them up, too, I am sure).  My mother was the same way with my brother, Uncle Icky, when he brought them home from one of his hunting trips.  Even if he DID bring them home already skinned and gutted, she just never could bring herself to cook them up for him.  Any of the birds he might shoot, she had no problems with (birds were for eating, after all).  She just never could take the smell of cooking rabbits, deer meat or any of the many other creatures that my brother was more than willing to try.  He's even made squirrel stew and eaten it.  Our *Mister Iron Stomach*....LOL.

I can't say I blame the Princess.  Ever seen a French rabbit?  Or what they call a *Lop-earred rabbit*?  They are gorgeous creatures.  The Beast has eaten rabbit (his father loved it and made it often) but, although I tried it once, I never could develop a taste for it.  It just didn't taste *familiar*.  But I have eaten frog, crawdads and a few other things that others may cringe at the thought of so it's not for lack of an open mind.  I've also eaten octopus, chocolate covered ants (and not the LITTLE ants, mind you, but ones with BIG body parts!) and a few other yukky things.  I might not ever eat any of them again in what life I have left, but I did TRY them at least once.  Some more often than that....LOL.  

Now it worries me that the Beast might want to imitate the Princess in some of her new *pets*.  I will definitely argue him out of that notion, trust me.  I will NOT have animals he proposes to *eat* when I know he will not be eating them.  I will not have rabbits because of the smell AND the fact that they attract more fleas and ticks than even dogs and cats do.  We had friends that had them and they were sorry that they had them.  They finally gave them away because it was too difficult to keep up with trying to keep them flea and tick free.  And the amount of poo they amassed was incredible for their size.

Love you all.  Hope your weather is getting better and you aren't accumulating more snow and/or rain.  Be safe.  ***Hugs***

Today Was A Perfect Soup Day!

The Beast and I were up early today for various reasons.  Me?  Because I slept all through the night (over 8 hours without a bathroom break).  After the Beast got home from his little sojourn (yes, he was out and about), I made us a lunch of hot wings and cinnamon apple sauce.  I just made the Banquet Hot and Spicy Bone-in wings which is very good.  It was really the perfect pairing since the wings were extra spicy and the apple sauce was cold, cooling and tasty.  I then told the Beast I was going to make some split pea soup for our dinner.

I got everything ready and used the Dutch oven to cook the pea soup.  I only uncovered it (besides my taste testing) when it was time to let it thicken.  It turned out very, very tasty and was just perfect.  I also made some nice yeast rolls to go with it.  I even have some left that will be great for tomorrow or the next day.  All-in-all, it was a nice day and the Beast enjoyed being a little spoiled since he didn't have to do anything today that he didn't feel like doing. 

He went out to check on the chicks and the feed and water levels.  The little piggy chicks are going through a LOT of feed but they are also growing like weeds and are almost fully fledged now.  Their only job is growing up into chickens these next few weeks.

Today the Beast read about a White water area here in Alabama that he wants to go check out, not this weekend but next.  It's only about 30 miles from us and so we will take a bit of a day trip on a bright sunny day.  We will take Baron with us (of course!) and just look the area over.  There's also a well-known BBQ restaurant nearby that he wants to stop and try out.  If he likes the area, we may go for one of the White Water Races this spring.  Or, he can make a trip by himself if he wants to just take photographs when I am just not in the mood to be his *mule*.  Been there, done that...when I was younger.

He also wants to make a trip to the Smoky Mountains National Park this spring, which should be interesting.  I wish we still had our travel trailer or our motor home (was not real elaborate but was comfy).  That's the real way to enjoy a National Park.  But we will go with the flow and rent a motel room that is dog-friendly somewhere nearby since we WILL have to stay overnight at least one night.  It's not a day trip away from us and we are old people that get tired after activities like walking for any distance.

Time to get back to bed.  I actually set my alarm to wake me so I wouldn't do more than sleep for four hours tonight.  That's only because I didn't do my blog before I lay down for my normal after dinner nap (especially when I was up all day, cooking).  Love you all.  Be good.  ***Hugs***

To Sleep, Perchance To Dream......

It's been a long time since I slept a full 8 hours and woke up naturally.  But that's what happened to me last night.  I fell asleep around 7: 30 or 8pm and woke up at 4:30am this morning.  I never got up to go to the bathroom (a small miracle in itself!) and never heard the Beast when he gave it up for the night.  The last time I slept through the night was at Chewlee's last sleepover on the Guest bedroom mattress.  My head hit the pillow and I never even got a shoulder shake from Chewlee because I was snoring...LOL!

I know I am up for the day now.  No residual feeling of a need for more sleep.  My first thought (after needing the bathroom) was this post.  You just have no idea what a real pain in the butt not being able to sleep all night can be.  Unless you, too, suffer from the same problem.  I HATE sleeping during the day and still feeling tired when you wake up.  Know what I mean?

The Beast handed me a magazine he had bought that listed all the various kinds of birds that people buy for both pets or bird stock.  There's chickens, ducks, pheasants.....and other birds that people are looking to buy for their atrium or coops. I found out that our chickens are called *Barred Plymouth Rocks*.  It shows what the chicks look like as well as the color of the eggs they lay, their temperment, how well they take the cold...all kinds of interesting things.  I found it incredibly interesting.  I am also amazed at how many of the more interesting looking chickens with dark feathers start off as either white or yellow chicks.  I have never, personally, seen white chicks before.

Ours are supposed to be docile, can be either cooped or free range, are good egg layers and seldom broody (feel the need to nest and raise chicks) and can share their egg laying nests with up to 5 other chickens.  I had no idea.  So the Beast's idea of putting in just six nesting boxes may work out well.  It also will reduce the areas we have to search for their eggs.  He bought materials for fencing in an area of the back yard to help keep critters from getting into the barn and stealing eggs.  He says he will get that done in the next couple weeks.  So far, so good.

The chicks are growing at an amazing rate.  I swear, you could almost watch them and see it happening.  The Princess' chickens, being just a week or so older than ours, are almost full grown.  They have really mean looking hooked beaks on them.  I don't think I would like being bitten by one of them....LOL.  Let's hope they really ARE docile.

I am loving the new pj's that my bff, Carol, sent me.  They are so soft and warm that I often fall asleep without the need for my electric blanket being on.  As cold as it has been during the night (regardless of how mild the daytime temps are), that is something I find amazing.  I am such a wimp in cold weather.  I really think I could hibernate...LOL.   But I DO feel the need to eat so that's out!  Hibernating bears lose 30-50% of their body weight after hibernating.  I don't weigh enough to do that!

We have a digital scale that requires a 9 volt battery in it and it's needed one for a couple months now.  I finally got out one of the batteries from where we store them and will fix that later today.  I also started my exercise program again (I use those 5# hand weights in some of them) because of my belly.  I hate having those muscles being weak and having a *tummy* on me.  It's not really too bad but I don't want to wait until it is to get into better shape.

I still have the box that my new TV came in sitting next to my DVD bookcase.  The Beast got so frustrated trying to set it up (and he won't listen to me about using the arrows on it to go through the steps).  When he finally gave up and threw the remote at me and told me to *do it myself*, I got it set up and it has a great picture on it now and better sound balance.  He was shocked when he saw I had done what frustrated him.  I just showed him how easy it was when you do it right.  Not a smart thing to do with him but he stayed calm and even gave it a try after I had it working well.

One thing he DID learn is that the setup portion is ONLY available the first time you have the TV on.  You MUST read the instructions BEFORE you do that.  It makes it just a bit more difficult to set up when you screw that up (which he had done inititially).  But I am more patient than he is and I READ the instructions that come with the TV.  I finally showed him the area in the booklet that tells you that you can only find that screen the very first time you turn it on and there is no way to get back to it if you don't do it right.  IF and WHEN his TV in the living room (which is how we refer to it) has to be replaced, he won't make the same mistake again.  His TV would be more expensive to replace than mine was.  He has a 51 inch one.  Mine is 32 inches but it's the perfect size for where I have it in my computer room.  It's very close to my desk, is turned on an angle so I can see it easily and yet is still easy to see even from my recliner.  

What I find funny is that Chewlee will fall asleep when she sits in my recliner (like I do).  It makes my smile when I look over at her and she's sound asleep.  I will let her nap but won't let her sleep more than two hours.  Otherwise, it's tough to get her into bed at 8 or 9pm on her sleepovers.  I don't want to screw up the Princess' schedule for the kids during the school year.  It's different during the summer when you can indulge them with a later bedtime when you are watching movies.  I find that she usually falls asleep within a half hour of her bedtime (funny how that works!).

I did my wash yesterday and folded everything and got it put away.  I also did the Beast's underwear (he finds that tedious and loses his patience because you do the same thing over and over again).  I just accept the fact and separate everything so that I can get each part done quickly.  But getting him to put everything in his drawers in a timely manner can be frustrating.  He does it...eventually...but only because I refuse to do it.  If I did it just once, he would expect me to do it all the time.  It's a *man thing*.  

I'm glad he at least takes the responsibility of doing his own washing.  He thought that something *I* was doing had him breaking out in a rash.  That was when we found out he was allergic to all the things that were going to the dry cleaner.  So now we don't send anything there any more and his rash is gone.  I just grinned when it finally dawned on him what was happening only happened after he wore those clothes.  Now, no more rash....even if I do his laundry.  

Yes, I do that from time-to-time.  When he has to wash his dress clothes, I always help him because he keeps forgetting to gather up his empty hangers and those clothes MUST be hung up as soon as the dryer stops.  It surprised him that his shirts and pants don't need ironing if you do that right away.  Men are weird and sometimes just don't use their heads on things that most of them considered *women's work*.  The time when I was recovering from my leg surgeries really had him learning a lot of new things.  I just wasn't able to help out and he took the responsibility on....and did a good job, too.  But back then, he was taking his good clothes to the cleaners to be done.  

Time to get this posted now.  Love you all.  Just remember to be kind costs us nothing.  We are all fighting different kinds of battles that we don't share with the world in general.  Be good, be careful and keep warm.  ***Hugs***

 

I Promised And I Delivered....

I promised you pictures of the chicks today and here they are:

I like the lower pic mainly because the chicks are standing up straight and not all scrunched up so you can see how long their legs are.  Take a look at those beaks...wicked looking, right?  I don't remember chickens with beaks like those but then I never saw many chickens that weren't white or that dark red.  These will be black with white dots.

The Beast built them a roost so they can perch on it.  They like to perch on things and get up off the floor, especially to sleep.  It took them all of about 5 minutes to discover it and start using it.  

I'm including a couple pictures of Cee's apartment.  Just so you know why Chewlee made the statement *Why is there so much pink?*.  When I told her it was Aunt Cee's favorite color, that she understood.  For the size of the rooms, she picked the perfect furniture.  But you can judge for yourself.

 


I told Cee I wouldn't post her kitchen on FB but never said that about my post.  She thinks it's messy but I sure didn't.  A couple dishes in the sink is NOT messy by any means.  The one closed door in the LR is to the second bedroom.  That room would be just as difficult to take a picture of as the one you can see into with the day bed showing.  The rooms are NOT tiny...just not big.  The bedroom with the door open is also where Cee has her TV and computer.  I think the apartment is just perfect for her and all her doo-dad's and pictures are *her*, too.  It's cozy and comfortable.  When the weather is nice, we sit out on the little patio outside the living room area.

So, there you go.  Hope it gives you an idea of what her place is like.  Also, you can see the chicks that will soon be our egg laying chickens (we hope!).  I will post more pics of them as they continue to grow.  It amazes me how much they grow and change in just a few days.  Now that they are getting bigger, even Baron has become interested in them.  I'll be curious to see how he reacts once it's warm enough to let them out in the yard.  It could be funny.

Love you all.  We are going to have a few nice days ahead and I'm ready for that.  It was nice enough today that I wore just a light jacket.  I love when it's bright and sunny.  Be happy.  Be good and enjoy your week.  Sending lots of hugs your way.  ******Hugs******

I Just Love A Nice, Juicy Ham!!

The Beast bought a really nice looking ham shank the other day and we decided to make it today.  It's a Smithfield ham and, let me tell you, it turned out wonderful.  It was so juicy and tasty.  Had shells and cheese and some broccoli as side dishes.  Fantastic.  But it was the ham that we really enjoyed.

The Beast cut off the good meat from it and gave the bone to Baron.  Talk about a dog showing he was enjoying it!  He had the bone cleaned off in no time at all.  He insisted he had to take it out on the deck to eat it and you could hear the clanking of the bone as he was turning it and gnawing at it.  LOL!  So funny!

I worked on straightening up the bookcase.  Got all my medical supplies in a small bin and threw out a few things that needed it.  I want to get everything out in the garbage and remind the Beast to take it out front on Tuesday.  We have one of Dennis' bins out there since the Beast forgot last week.  *Sigh*  

I also put out all the small perfume containers that my son, Mustachio, brought me back from the Mideast when he was in the Navy.  They are blown glass and so ornate and beautiful.  I've had them packed away because the Beast has promised to make me a big shadowbox (I wanted a mirrored backboard for it) for them.  Just another broken promise.  So I used the top shelf of my little shelf unit that I keep my CD's on to display them.  It doesn't do them justice but at least they are out and I can look at them and enjoy them.  I had forgotten just how many he had given me.  A couple are barely two inches tall.  Truly amazing.  I will take a few pictures of them tomorrow and post them.  I also intend to take some pics of the chickens.  Watch this space...LOL

I have to call my sister, Cee, tomorrow and see what she is up to.  If she's going to be home, I may go over and spend a little time with her.  I should take some pics of her place, too, while I am there.  I'll see how that turns out.  It can be tough to take pics of a small place since it's difficult to take a decent picture of a small room.  But she has a nice comfy apartment and I would like to share that.

I need to do some wash tomorrow so I can't be gone too long.  The trouble is, when we get together, we have a good time.  We just enjoy each others company.  But I find that with all my sisters and my brother, Uncle Icky.  We have no problem finding things to talk about.

The Beast was complaining about all the feed that the chicks are consuming.  I told him that they need it to grow but should slow down a lot once they are fully grown and can also get outside to feed on the grass, bugs, etc. that they find.  I'm glad we have never been the sort to use any kind of insecticides so no worry about THAT being a problem.  We will, however, have to warn the guy that comes to the house to spray for our ant problems (and the spiders and wasps).  The chicks won't be going into our crawl space (that door is always closed) and he only sprays when there's signs of wasp activity.  He will just have to be careful not to let the chickens out...LOL.

Time to go.  I'm going to give that Zzzquil a try tonight and see if it does any good.  I'm very skeptical about it but what the hell?  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  At least our weather for the next few days is going to be good.  I think it's raining out right now but that's supposed to pass quickly.  It will help the grass grow which the chickens will love.  

Love you all.  Take care.  Be kind to everyone.  ***Hugs***

 

I Have My House Back AND.....

...we only have a dozen chickens now.  No, they didn't succumb to the cold.  That is all the Beast elected to keep.  The other 10 went to the Princess' house to join her flock.  The Beast said he was shocked at how much bigger her chickens are from ours with only a weeks difference in age.  Or perhaps it's more like 10 days.  Regardless, they have now joined a much larger family and ours is reduced in size (and the amount of chicken poop....LOL).  

I got a shocked today when I discovered that Tremors 5 is on SyFy tonight.  I am not going to give away any of the plot but I was totally absorbed by it.  However, as my sister, Bratfink, would tell you, that's no surprise.  I don't think she would be shocked to hear that.  She was never all that entranced over it to begin with, except for Kevin Bacon, in the first one.  He did have a nice butt....LOL.

Back to the chicken farm.  All the chicks are doing fine out in the barn so far.  Tonight is the coldest night for well over a week so every one of them that gets through tonight (even with the heat lamps output being reduced due to that same cold), will make it though to egg laying, I am sure.

The Beast did something for the flocks of titmouses that were flying around and not sharing the bird seed well that is in the bird feeders.  They were being downright nasty to each other so he took some of the chicken feed and scattered it around on the platforms for said feeders plus on the deck after he swept the snow away.  WOW!  Talk about an all out attack!  Those poor birds had to have been hungry!  No fighting at all since it was spread out over such a big area.  And it has little pieces of gravel included so they won't even have to hunt for any in order to digest the seeds.

The house smells much better now that we have cleaned and washed the bins.  The Beast is using the blue one to store the seed in and I have my clear one back (cleaned and sanitized) to store a few things that I had originally planned for it.  I'll take care of that tomorrow when the Beast goes to church and I can spread a few things out without interruptions.  Unless we get a bit more snow tonight (which I doubt), I think the 1-2" that fell is about alll we are getting this front.  It's not the one good one that we get during a normal winter here but I'll settle for it, TYVM.  *Grin*

Some of the areas of the country that were suffering from drought seem to be getting rain and snow in abundance lately.  Enough to cause some major flooding, which is not a good thing.  I worry about those people as much as I am worried for all those people under blizzard conditions that are without power.  Take care of each other.  Check on neighbors and the elderly.  Also those with small children.  We all need to take care of each other during times like these. Check on their food supplies and make sure no one is cooking with charcoal indoors.  That's a killer because it releases a lot of carbon monoxide in the air.  Even though some people think of it as a source of heat,better to heap the blankets on and share body heat.  That's how our ancestors did it back in the days of the pioneers.  Fire pits work too.  You just have to toast one side, then the other.  J/K.

Love you all.  Hope you get through this bad storm without too much trouble.  Be kind and be thoughtful of others.  Isn't that how YOU would like to be treated?  That's the real clue to happiness.  ***Hugs***

Gonna Be A Close Race As To Whom I Kill First.....

The Beast doesn't use common sense at times.  But, of course, for those of you that know him, this isn't a huge surprise.  For example.....You do NOT open the top of the bins they are in to about 10 inches.  That is plenty of room for them to fly up and out of.  And so they did.  Who actually heard them and went out to check?  Me.  Who caught them and put them back into their bins?  Again, me.  

What is weird is that the chicks actually have a very loud, panicky sounding chirping that they do when they are out of their bin.  The Beast seems to not be able to either hear it or distinguish it from their normal chirping.  I think he can't hear it.  His hearing is getting worse and worse.  Mine isn't all that great, either, but it's obviously better than HIS.

We got snow here today.  Just a couple inches but I am sure it means that Chewlee won't have school tomorrow.  There's bound to be black ice on the roads tomorrow and it will be dangerous to be out in it.  Since we so rarely get show here, most of the people don't really know how to drive in it.  That is scary dangerous.

We are supposed to get more snow tomorrow so there's no telling what the next few days will be like.  Cee was shocked when she went to throw her garbage out in the dumpster today and saw the snow coming down.  It's probably been 40 years since she last saw snow.  LOL!  When she called me to tell me, it hadn't started snowing here yet but it did shortly after we hung up.  Surprise, surprise, Baron had no problem with going out into the snow to pee (not like when it rains) but he was darn near as wet afterward.  Go figure!  I just know that on Sunday, come hell or high water, the chicks ALL go out in the barn.  Saturday night is the worst of the low temps and then it's much warmer for over a week after that.  Plenty of time for them to adjust.  They are growing like weeds and pooping almost as much as they eat.  I WANT MY HOUSE BACK!!!!!

Okay, time for me to shower and get some clean jammies on.  I also need to set my hair again (sigh!) until I can get it trimmed.  I'm just not sure if I want to.  I was thinking about letting it grow.  But we shall see.

Be good.  Tell at least one person that you love that you do today.  Tomorrow is not promised.  Today is all we are sure of...and even that can change in a split second.  ***Hugs***

I Will Be So Glad....

...when these damn chicks are out in their pen.  The Beast got the window into the barn door (looks good!) even though it was only around 40 degrees outside when he did it.  The chicks out there are fine and very lively.  So are the ones inside the house.  

The Beast, who is never as careful as he should be, opened up the top of one of the bins to put more food into the feeder and three of the chicks flew out of it.  I had to help round them up to get them back into the bin.  The Beast was *armed* with a towel that he threw over them, one-by-one, and they were finally put back where they belonged.  His big complaint?  As soon as they hit the floor, it was like they shit on it with every step.  LOL!  Like that mattered?  It's not very big and is easily vacuumed up.  My concern was their being hurt because the Beast isn't very gentle when he gets frustrated.  However, we got them into their bin without any injuries to any of us.

They are surprisingly fast on their feet, even at their present size.  And they have enough feathers now to easily fly a few feet up into the air.  They can't fly far but it's enough to get out of the way of any possible captors.  Like us.  I will be so glad when Sunday comes and there will be a break in the low nighttime temperatures that will allow the chicks to adjust to the pen.  The pen will continue to be heated for the next couple months to ensure the best environment for them.  Not too hot, not too cold.

The Beast had a taste for the steak and onion (and cheese) sandwiches from our local pizza place.  I decided to try the steak and mushroom instead.  It was great but not enough mushrooms for my taste.  But I ate it.  Half for our late lunch and then the second half for my dinner.  I also ate some of the cole slaw we had in the fridge.  For a bit of dessert, I had some yogurt.  Strawberry.  This particular blend has strawberries...lots of them...in it when you get the large container of it.  When strawberries are in season and fairly inexpensive, I always like to add some fresh ones to it.  Yummy!  But even without fresh ones, it's still very tasty.

The Beast went to bed early.  When I woke up from my after dinner nap at 8:30pm, he was already in bed (and snoring!).  I let him sleep and brought my electric blanket into my computer room.  I'll stay in it and sleep in my recliner when I am ready...which will be soon.  It's already 12:30am and I am tired.  I hope to go visit with Cee tomorrow so I want to be up bright and early to get a few things done before I leave.  I need to do some wash and I want to get mine done before the Beast starts in on his.

Love you all.  Hope you are keeping warm and dry.  Be careful driving in the snow and sleet.  It's just awful.  We are still snow free here and no black ice so far.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't end up with a much worse winter than normal.  Our normal is really just one good snowfall that disappears within a day or so.  That's about all the snow I can stand.  At my age, walking on that stuff can be dangerous.  Hell, walking on it at any age can be!  ***Hugs***
 

Trial For Eight Chicks....Or Worse!

It turns out the Beast wasn't willing to risk all of the chicks to the possibility of death by cold.  So I selected four chicks from each bin and he brought them out to the new pen in the barn.  It had already been preheated and the blanket that covers the front down to the top of the pen was secured..the side is open however so there will still be plenty of air.  The chicks seemed to love all the room and explored it from one side to the other.  They also checked out the new feeder (which is more like a huge corn holder) and the new water dispenser.  That one had a concave top so they won't be launching themselves from THAT!  It's a different design and will hold plenty of water for them in it as well as more room for all of them to gather around it if that happens to occur.

Since we have two more really cold nights predicted, they could be sacrificed to the cold gods if that should happen.  The pen is holding a 72 degree temperature even though our high today was just 36 degrees.  It's only supposed to go down to 28 degrees tonight, the same for Friday night and lower 20's on Saturday.  If they survive after those temps, on Sunday we will put the rest of the chicks out there.

With the feathers that they have already, I'm pretty sure they will make it but the Beast just isn't ready to take the chance on losing all of them after all the money that's been spent to date.  I doubt that he would repeat this with chicks.  He would probably wait until April when he could buy bigger chickens although it would mean paying more for less.  I know he's hoping that the chicks survive.  He would love for all 22 of them to reach the egg laying stage.  How he's going to make 22 nesting boxes is beyond me.  It's not going to be easy because they won't share...LOL.

What's funny is that the chicks that remain in the bins are huddling together for warmth without the heat lamps.  And, now that there is only the lighting from the windows during the day and our lights that we have on in the evening, when the lights are turned off at bedtime....they go to sleep and have been asleep all night!  I think that's what they needed...a more natural existence with a real day and night cycle.  Unfortunately, until they are actually much bigger and have all their feathers, that won't happen.  The Beast will keep the heat lamps on until he's sure that they can take any cold Mother Nature throws at us.

Me?  I'm going to watch for an appropriate aprong (it has to hang from my neck and tie around my waist) to make an egg-gathering apron.  That way, with individual pockets (which I will make and sew into place), there is less chance of breaking any eggs that are gathered.  I actually have a pattern for what is called a Barbeque apron so, if I have to, I can make one from scratch.  That works for me, too, since I love to have sewing projects.  

The Beast forgot to put out the garbage on Tuesday (pickup is on Wednesdays) so we have an almost full garbage bin and a week to go.  I guess he will be trotting over to get Dennis' extra one if he doesn't foresee needing it.  Dennis told us that we could *borrow* it any time we needed it.  He knows that the Beast often forgets about pickup day.  Lately, it wouldn't have mattered if he didn't take it out on Tuesday evening since they were coming later in the day.  BUT...of course, this morning they came early....VERY early.  Like around 6am.  It woke the Beast up when he heard the truck.  THAT is when he remembered that he had forgotten.  Too late....LOL.

I know I said I would take pictures of the chicks when we put them out in the pen but I meant ALL of them.  So there will be a slight delay.  Not until Sunday IF the 8 chicks survive the next couple of days.  

Time to go.  Love you all.  Today, tell someone you love that you do.  Remember, today is all we have.  Tomorrow is not promised.  ***Hugs***

The Little Feathered Beasties.....

It was a weird day today.  The Princess called me and asked if I could pick up Chewlee from school.  She gave me the address since I wasn't sure if I had saved it from when I picked her up several weeks ago.  However, after putting the address into my Garmin, it rolled up with several different streets of the same name.  The difference (which I didn't notice at first) was that one was *Road*, another *Drive* and still another was something else, which escapes me at the moment.  I hit the first one and then tapped *Go*.  

Well, it took me out to hell-and-gone.  I ended up having to call the Princess and ask her for the address again.  Then it was try to find a place to pull over and make the correction.  It ended up that one of the teachers called me to find out where I was and she tried to give me directions to the school.  What should have been a simple half hour drive ended up taking me over an hour!  It was so embarrassing.  But I finally arrived at the correct place and got Chewlee and brought her home with me.  She said she was glad because coming here was *fun*.  That surprised me but she really didn't want to leave when her mother got here an hour later.

Chewlee found my Harry Potter book that I had lent to her (and it disappeared).  It's now nestled safely with the others.  *Sigh*   I was sure I would never see it again.   Chewlee asked me some questions about various characters and it told me that she was actually getting *into* the books because she had read certain sections and had overlooked certain key things that were said.  I guess that's why I always read the same books several times because I always discovered things I had missed during the previous read.  

As for the little feathered beasties....I think the Princess may have been key to getting the Beast to put them out in the barn and the *pen* he built for them.  He is going to put the window in the door (he only got one for a start) for more light although he has installed a light in it.  It just isn't enough I guess.

He will put the heat lamps in it and let it warm the area before we put the chicks in it.  He even has a plan to put a heavy blanket on the top shelf that will cover the front opening of the pen to help trap the heat in it for any bad weather we have.

These chicks have the most unusual build to them.  I kid you not.  Also their beaks are hooked at the end.  I think their bite would be very painful.  They are more upright than the chickens we all think of.  I wish I had an example but I will post a picture of the chicks after we put them into the pen.  I could see them with those nasty spurs on their legs and in chicken fights like they show in movies.  They look lean and mean.  LOL!

In a way, I will miss having them in the house but they have really outgrown the bins already.  Their growth rate is only going to increase now that they are getting feathers everywhere.  Even their tails have feathers now.  So the Brat Chicken Farm is underway....soon.  There is one that is kind of timid and is often on it's own (as much as the bins allow) and it lets me pick it up without fussing too much.  It's not sickly or anything like that.  It can hold it's own in a rush for the feed and it's definitely the same size as all the others.  I think it's just down at the bottom of the pecking order they established.  It will be interesting to watch what happens when the two bins are combined.  It will be a fight for pecking order all over again.

Well, I am tired and am already in my jammies.  Time to get to bed.  I had no idea it was this late (1:30am).  I did get a nap earlier so I am not going to be sleep deprived.  But I have learned it's best to get to bed at the first sign that I am tired.  I was falling asleep while playing my game (it often does that to me).  Love you all and I urge you to stay weather smart until this bad weather finally passes.  They are talking about the possibility of rain (first) and then snow.  The night time temps will be low enough to  make black ice a real problem,especially with the big lake just north of us.  Be careful driving.  Even if you just are getting rain (West Coast area), it, too, can be dangerous.  Watch for flash flooding.  

***Hugs***

(2nd Post ) Just An Afterthought.....

I told you that we put cheesecloth over the top of the bins.  I kept checking both bins each time I went to the bathroom.  I caught the chicks in one of the bins actually climbing on the backs of cooperating chicks to pull at the cheesecloth.  They managed to pull it down lower and loosened the tape on one side.  I had to keep putting the tape back (and was totally pissed that the Beast had put it out in the garage).  There was NO WAY that I was going to go outside with the temperature at 19 degrees to get more tape.  

One thing that I have noticed about these chicks is that they have a strange build to them.  They are getting more and more feathers on their bodies now and have this strange upright shape to them.  You would have to see it to understand what I mean but it's not the typical shape that you expect to see.  They are more upright and look almost menacing.  I don't think most creatures, seeing them in their alert state, would want to mess with them.  They have a mean look to them.  Lean and mean.  

If it weren't for the fact that the next few days are going to be very, very cold at night, I would be tempted to get them into the new pen in the barn.  They need the room with the way they are growing.  I swear, you can almost SEE them growing on a daily basis.  Another four days of growth and they will be difficult to handle.

I got up a few minutes ago just to check on them and found the Beast was up already.  I told him about what I had been finding with the one bin and also that for the first time all night, the others seem to be trying to remove the cheesecloth over their bin.  I'm going to send him to Walmart for some better cheesecloth (this grade is actually for cleanup of grout film and not a good weave).  I found it online and it's sold in the store.  It is more expensive but I don't care about that.  I just want it to be a closer weave and the right width so that we can tape it down better.  The Beast will cut the tape and *I* will tape it down.  The way the Beast started out doing it (in an attempt to be manly and DIY), it looks like a 5 year old did it.  *Sigh*   Actually, a 5 year old might have done a better job.

I feel like I have recovered from my lack of sleep and irritation now.  My stomach has settled down and I don't feel like killing the Beast any more.  Not any less, either...LOL.  At least I can laugh now.

Okay, I am going to play my game now and see if I feel like I need more sleep.  The game usually does that to me when I am actually tired.  I find that I lose more episodes that way and have to keep repeating them.  I know matching jewels seems like it should be easy but there are various pitfalls that await you so it's made more difficult the higher the level you are on.  So...off to play my game.  Love you all.  Stay warm and drive very, very carefully.  The life you save may just be your own.  ***Hugs***

 

A Rough Night....

Last night had to be one of the worst nights we've had with the chicks.  It seems like every time I got up to pee, one of the chicks had gotten out of their container.  I spent more time than you would believe trying to round them up.  It even involved using a towel, more than once.  I would restation the lid over the tops of the feeders and, summanabitch!  It would be moved back the very next time.  That's when I finally found out it was the damn Beast moving them but he wasn't rounding up the escaped chicks....I WAS!  That pissed me off so much I can't begin to tell you.

It was all I could do not to cuss him out but I DID say, in very stern words, that blocking them was NOT causing the bins to cool down...besides which, we were supposed to be lowering the heat by 5 degrees each week, right???  What it DID do, however, was keep me up all night with a stomach ache (frustration) and, as a result, I slept all day.  I still have a bit of a stomach ache left but it's easing now since the bins are now covered with cheesecloth, which will keep the little buggers inside.  The cheesecloth is taped down to prevent them from moving it so I can rest easy at least.

Add to that frustration the fact that the skies were so overcast that I didn't have any internet and you at least know why I had no post today.  At least, not until now.  Since my tummy ache is subsiding, I am heading back to bed with the hope that I can sleep more peacefully now and get some GOOD rest.  I can't wait until we can move these chicks out to the barn.  They are getting big and kind of strange looking...LOL.  

Love you all.  Cross your fingers for me.  Stay safe.  Bad weather is no friend to any of us.  ***Hugs***

(SECOND POST) I Haven't Done This Before But It's Important!

This is actually a blog I did on a different site a few years ago.  It took me many years before I could even write about it but I felt it was an important subject as we are all getting older and cancer, that bastard disease, is taking more and more of those we love and admire.  The letter I speak of I found out is in the custody of my dear Aunt Rose..

This was entitled:  Saying Goodbye To Someone You Love That You Know Is Dying.....


...is probably one of the hardest things you might ever do in your lifetime.  I know this because I went through it with a cousin that was both too young to die (she had pancreatic cancer) and had been my bestest friend for years.

Her father was career Navy and an officer.  They had lived all over the world and many places in this country.  Kath and I stayed close by correspondence.  We did silly things at times.  She once wrote me a long letter, composed over many days, on a roll of toilet paper.  I sent her one on a roll of adding machine tape.  She lived in Japan and I learned about sending letters overseas.  I used thin tissue paper for my letters because we never wrote short letters and you paid for the weight of those letters.  I earned my money babysitting so I tried to be careful with it.  Yes, I was young (about 8) but the oldest child in my family and I took care of the three younger ones.  The neighbors trusted me because I never acted like a child.  I was born old, I think.

When I found out that Kath was dying, I HAD to go visit with her in person.  I loved her dearly.  I had never met her husband or either of her two daughters.  Life just never worked out so that we could get together.  I grabbed the oldest of my two sons and we drove up to SC so I could sit with her and we could catch up and mourn a little if we needed it.

I found a motel near her home and checked in.  I called her to let her know I was in town and we talked for a bit before I finally told her I would be there in 10 minutes.  I gave my son the option of staying there at the motel or coming with me.  He wanted to meet the girls so off we went.

Kath looked much better than I expected but she told me they had her loaded down with medications and one of them contained steroids so she hadn't lost a lot of weight yet.  She was drinking Boost a couple times a day because eating was a problem.  Then we both started to relax and REALLY talk.  We talked about when we were kids and the problems we had.  She talked about going to Ireland with her mother and how much she loved that.  She showed me the pictures she'd taken (and a few her mother had to have taken because Kath was the subject).  We talked about our married lives and decided that men sucked.  She and her husband had become estranged before she was diagnosed with cancer.  

She was sad that they would probably have divorced except for her illness.  I was sad because of how hurt she was over it all.  Her daughters were both teenagers and lovely girls.  They had that gorgeous skin that so many Irish girls have and long, beautiful hair.  With their inherited good looks, my son told me he was sorry they were first cousins.  She loved her daughters and hated the idea that she would never be able to see them being married, having children...all the things we look forward to as we age.  

It wasn't easy to really start talking from our hearts.  We had to kind of remind each other that we thought there was a special bond between us first.  That took small talk and a few laughs inserted here and there.  She told me she was going to be flying out to her dad's home in California because, to her, that was *home* and that was where she wanted to die.  She also wanted to be cremated and her ashes interred next to her dad.

It was hard to leave her.  She didn't want me to come back because she knew she was getting sick and was going to change her plane ticket to leave earlier for California.  She wanted to be home before she weakened and might be too ill to fly.  When we hugged and I kissed her forehead, we both knew it was our last time together and it was sad.  I tried to put on a brave face but I cried like a baby when I got into my car.

When we arrived home, I sat down to write Kath one more letter but found myself unable to put what I was feeling down on paper.  When I knew Kath was *home*, I called to talk to my aunt about Kath's state of health.  My aunt said she thought Kath had used up all her strength trying to act normally and, once she arrived home, she became very ill.  

The Hospice people told my aunt to let her family know they had best make plans to come to see her because they didn't think it would be long.  My aunt was worried that they might not make it.  That inspired me and I finally got to finish my letter.  I ran it right down to the post office and sent it off to my aunt's.

When it got there, two days later, my cousin had lapsed into a coma.  The end was very near and her kids and husband wouldn't get in until late that night.  My aunt said she read my letter to my cousin even though she was in a coma because they say patients can still hear.  In my letter, I urged my cousin to stay strong and wait for her family to get to her side so they could tell her how much she is loved and would be missed.  I actually said a couple times, Hang on, Kath!  Hang on until you can feel their touch one last time.

My aunt was shocked because Kath actually DID get better in anticipation of her family being there.  She came out of her coma long enough to say her goodbyes and to hold her daughters one last time and give them kisses and hugs.  She then fell asleep and walked into the light.

What's weird is that even though I was in Florida at the time, I suddenly KNEW that Kath had died.  I stood up and announced it to my family and then called my aunt.  She was a bit shocked but she told me the news.  I was grateful that she felt my letter had helped.  She said she had heard from other members of the family about my ability to sense when people I loved died but it was still shocking for her to experience it.  I told her it wasn't something I had ever known until my grandfather died.  

I suddenly woke up one morning with this feeling that something was wrong and it involved my grandfather.  That was at 5am (Eastern time).  My sister, Cee, called me shortly after I woke because of the same feeling she had.  We just weren't sure which of our grandfathers it was.  She called one side of the family while I called the other (which is the one I truly felt was involved).  My uncle, who lived nearby and had been called to the house by my grandmother, answered the phone when I called and said to me, *Brat....WHY are you calling?*  I kind of expected that since it was 5am there and I told him, *I called because I felt there was something wrong with Grampa.*  He got very quiet and said, *Grampa died at 4am*.  That was the start of that family fable. 

 But, it IS true that I seem to know but it's only those that I dearly love.  It's like I feel the absence of their spirits in my world.  I try not to think about it.  Oh, and it's not like there was any illnesses involved in a couple.  One was very sudden and unexpected.  That was an uncle (my mother's half-brother) who was only in his 60's and a very active and virile man.

Is it worth making the effort regardless of how painful it may be?  Yes.  Trust me on this.  You think you won't know what to say or you might make some kind of faux pas  but trust your heart if it's someone you love and will miss.  Family and close friends are worth more than gold and that space they occupy in your heart will be there forever.  If someone you love is dying, take the time.  You will never regret it.  Just think how precious it would be to be able to say *I love you* one more time to those that pass suddenly.  So don't miss the chance if you have it.  *End*

I still cry when I remember this.  My feeling that I just HAD to go see her was so urgent that I didn't give the Beast a chance to say yay or nay.  I just packed my bags, got my traveling money and left with just a stop in North Florida to pick up my son.  He is the one that held me while I sobbed after leaving Kath's house.  It was the last time I spoke to her and got to hug her one last time.  Other than my words in my letter.  I have since been afraid to write such letters to those I love that are dying (like my Aunt Rose).  I almost feel like it's a death knell if I send one.  When I said that to my aunt when I saw her last summer, she laughed.  That was when she told me that she had my letter.  Kath's mother had given it to her since she was my godmother and I might actually want it at some future time.

I hope you understand now why I often urge you to tell those you love that you do as often as you can.  It might actually be the last words you get to say to them.  Today is all we have.  Tomorrow is not promised.  I love you all.

Had The Greatest Cake Today....

Cee and I met at Michael and Lucia's house this afternoon.  Michael had called Cee to let us know Lucia had made her fresh peach cake and we were to come over to have some.  She had used fresh whipped cream as her frosting and sliced peaches (very thinly sliced and in a nice heavy syrup that wasn't too sweet) on top.  You could both see and taste the chopped peaches in the cake and it was heavenly.  She truly is an amazing baker.  

Of course, she is also a great cook.  And I have to make apologies for thinking (for some unknown reason) that she was from Guatemala.  She is from Nicaragua.  There IS a big difference in the native population of the two states.  I really wondered since Lucia does not look Guatemalan but I figured that she was from an upper class family and not the native Indian population.  DUH!  So sorry, Lucia.  I will never make that mistake again.  She really thought it was funny that I had that idea.  She never got mad about it and I would never have been corrected except that Michael mentioned it in passing.  I was just horrified.

Lucia sent home a piece of the cake for the Beast and the Princess, too.  The Beast hated that he couldn't eat both pieces but I told him to go over to Lucia's and see if she had any left.  I knew he wouldn't but only because it was dark outside, I think.  LOL!

Other than that, nothing unusual happened except for one of the chicks flying out of the container.  It was sitting on the lid that I had put across the feeders.  When the Beast noticed and got up to go get it, it flew under the coffee table onto the bamboo weave that covers my bins.  There's about a five inch clearance and the Beast had to move one of the chicks bins away so he could get his arm under the glass top of the coffee table to where the chick was.  It flew onto the edge of it's bin and that, finally, allowed the Beast to put it down into the container.  He also then made sure the lid covered over the top of the feeders.  He had moved it when he cleaned the water feeder and never moved it back in place properly.  I can see that the chicks are getting feathers on their backs now and they are all so much taller.  They seem to have strange looking beaks and the color has gotten a much deeper orange.  The beaks have definite hook on the end.  It looks lethal...LOL.

At least they are sleeping now.  They seem to be getting into a routine now.  When it's lights out in the house (except for their heat lamps), they hunker down and go to sleep for most of the night.  And that's what I am heading to do now.

Love you all.  Be good.  Be careful.  Be kind.  It costs you nothing and is good for your soul.  Everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about and if you are kind to everyone you meet, it could make their day.  And yours as well.  ***Hugs***

A Huge Surprise Arrives For Me....

Today the Beast dragged in two packages for me.  I wasn't expecting anything but immediately figured out that my bff, Carol, sent me a couple surprises.  I was stunned when I opened the first package.  She sent me two pair of pajamas.  These were from Macy's and, let me tell you, they are warm, warm, warm!  I cried when I saw them.  She is the most amazing person in the world and one of the best friends I could ever have made.  I don't deserve her but I am so grateful for her generous heart.  

The second package made me laugh.  It was a bottle of Bailey's and had the cutest little glasses that came with it.  Adorable.  Almost like little shot glasses only smaller but taller.  It probably holds a shot in each of them.  I love them.  I love the Bailey's, too.  It was like I was having Christmas in January.  I can't even find the words to let her know how grateful I am for everything.  I love you, Carol, and thank you a million times.

The chicks are getting airborne more and more.  At least they are now just flying up to the top of their bins and then flying back inside.  I worry about that since only their pen in the barn will be warm and, if they fly out into the barn proper, they might actually die from the cold.  Who knows?  I am just hoping that they get more of their feathers in the next week before we put them out there.

It's actually hard to believe that we've had them for three weeks now until I look at how much they have grown.  It's amazing but I guess it's the way things are with all birds.  They have to hurry up and grow.  At least these birds won't be making any journeys to warmer climes....LOL.

Time to go shower and get ready for bed.  Cee and I are heading over to Michael and Lucia's tomorrow for some of her fresh peach cake.  With the way Cee talks about it, my mouth is watering.  Lucia's cakes are always fantastic.  I'm amazed at how moist and delicious they all are.  I was also very surprised to hear how many different oils and/or lard that she uses in some of them.  She's very fussy about that, having learned it at her grandmother's knee so-to-speak.  All I know is that they are good.

Love you all.  Be good.  Spread your smiles all over the place.  It costs nothing.  ***Hugs***

It Finally Happened.....

It started out with just one of the chicks.  It flew on top of the water feeder and then over the edge of the bin it was in.  I was in my computer room but I heard his very loud and urgent sounding *cheeps*..almost like fearful screams.  So I jumped up and discovered the chick outside of it's bin, running around the outside bottom edge, chirping like crazy.  I  reached down to put her back inside the bin when a second one performed the stunt and landed on the floor beside me.  Without hesitating, I reached down, scooped it up quickly and put it into the bin.  I decided I had to put an end to that or wake up in the morning with a bun of chicks running around the living room, dining room and kitchen areas.  I finally took the top to the bin and angled it over the two feeders so that the majority of the bin still got the heat lamp shining into it but prevented them from flying onto the feeders.

Later on, the Beast found the chicks in the other bin duplicating the same thing so, after returning them to the bin, he, too, angled that top over the feeders.  All we can do right now is hope for the best.  But we did note that they are getting feathers on their backs now so, after Tuesday, we can probably move them into the barn.  The Beast is going to work on a door that allows them to get outside but can be locked when they are put back in at night.  The locking is more to keep critters out than to keep the chicks inside.  Especially raccoons, which are very clever and handy at opening things.  The lock will be on the inside of the barn door.

My son, Mustachio, laughed when he found out about the chickens.  He said that, when he was stationed on Diego Garcia Island, the whole island had chickens roaming all over.  They were very wild and a bit mean to each other.  They didn't act like a flock, which they do at farms for the most part.  You could find nests full of eggs all over the place, mostly under bushes.  Snakes usually raided the nests and carried off the eggs but some of the workers would search for eggs daily.  He said the fresh laid eggs were awesome.  The Princess said the same thing.  They have a totally different taste than commercial eggs.

I guess we will find out...hopefully.  I just hope our little kamikaze chickens don't break their necks before they are old enough to start laying.  They ARE funny to watch, though.  They are standing up so tall now that their legs have grown and even their necks have.  It's amazing how much bigger they have gotten in so short a time.

Tonight is supposed to be warmer than usual but Monday and Tuesday nights are both going to be VERY cold.  Once we find out about the weather expected after that, we can decide about moving the chicks out into the barn.  I will let you all know what happens.

Love you all.  I have to get my butt to bed now.  I'm very tired for some reason.  I didn't do a whole lot except keep a close eye on the chicks today (which meant I was up and down, up and down....).  Also Baron was constantly wanting to go outside to bask in the sun while the temp was milder.  But that only lasted about 10 minutes at a time.

Love you all.  Be good.  Be careful.  Be kind.  ***Hugs***

A Little Birthday Get-together....

Today was our Lucy's (she is married to my nephew, Michael) birthday.  Cee and I were invited over to celebrate it with them.  We all had a drink while we chatted and Lucy, as usual, insisted on make a dip as an appetizer before we did anything more.  Her dips are different and so tasty.  

We chatted about this and that, including some funny memories of my dad when we were kids.  Before we knew it a couple hours had passed so Mike finally brought out the cake he had bought from Publix (with yummy whipped cream frosting instead of the sweet buttercream).  Not as good as the cakes that Lucy makes but it was not bad.  We sang Happy Birthday to her and, once we ate our cake, she finally opened up her gifts.  Her hubby gave her cash to spend as she liked, Cee gave her two tops to wear and I gave her a Welcome plaque that I had painted.  I had originally planned it for our house but we didn't have a wall that I felt was suitable so I had never painted it.  It languished in my container for several years.  Somehow, I felt that she would like it.  She and her hubby both complimented me on the great job I did painting it.  They couldn't believe I had done it since it turned out perfect.  It was a labor of love.

Cee and I left so that we could be home before dark and I brought home a piece of cake for the Beast.  Lucy said she knew he was a sweet lover.  He ate it right away except for the *flower* on top.  He said it was just too sweet when I asked him why he'd left it on the plate.  Lucy also told us that she was going to make her fresh peach cake this weekend and would call us over for some.  Cee has had it before and raved about it.  I haven't had it but, knowing how good all Lucy's cakes are (her family bakes cakes in Guatemala and she even can decorate like a pro!), it will have to be just delicious.  I can hardly wait!

This evening we had something funny happen with one of the chicks.  I mentioned how the chicks were fanning their wings a lot and one had even raised up a few inches.  Well, it may have been the same one but one of them actually flew on top of one of the feeder bottles inside their container.  But it kept cheeping because it couldn't figure out how to get down.  It was just cute and funny.  But it does show that we will need to get the chicks out into the *barn* soon.  I'm sure this is going to happen more as time goes on and we don't want the chicks running around the house because they got out of their containers.  I hope this bad cold snap passes after Sunday and we can get them out there.  It's more spacious (the *pen* area that the Beast built for them).

My bff sent me more of my favorite coffee.  There's no stopping that because it gives her pleasure and she told me that I can't tell her what to do.  LOL!  She is such a trip at times.  I love her to death and I told her she doesn't have to do that for me.  But....she said it's up to her, not me.  Gotta love someone with such a generous heart.  Not only is she generous, she seems to have a knack for timing it just right.  I was grinding up the last of our beans and the package arrived.  Perfect timing.

Time to post this.  Remember to be careful in this weird weather we are all having.  Stay warm and dry.  Drive carefully.  ***Hugs***

Sometimes It Takes A Professional.....

The Beast had a woman from his church, who cleans homes professionally, over to help clean and organize our house.  Unfortunately, with my legs not being strong so that I can stand up for any length of time (without a cane), means that I can't get to certain places.  I also have the Beast to contend with and he had stuff just stacked up in various places.  It was a nightmare to think about trying to organize.

Well, this gal not only cleaned but she organized my pantries.  I was amazed at what she did.  Of course, she spent six hours doing it all but it looks and feels wonderful (and very clean!).  The Beast and I both have a hard time dealing with the area under our bed (dust bunnies abound!) which had lots of dog hair and dust, of course.  I made attempts with the dust mop but...well, it wasn't really thorough.  She cleaned under it and just about moved the bed to make sure it was well done.  She organized the bathrooms and they look...just incredible.  She was worth every penny we paid her.   And she wasn't cheap!  But I have no complaints, believe me.

I went to Hobby Lobby and met up with my sister, Cee.  We were hoping to find some figurines or other items that we could paint.  But, guess what?  Although they had loads and loads of paints for that, they had NOTHING to paint.  Even the people that work there were confused that there was nothing.  We had several of them looking.  I think someone screwed up but it will be mentioned to them.  I was wishing we had a Michael's instead of Hobby Lobby.  I worked for Michael's once as a temporary cashier (and was asked to stay on) but I really only wanted a temp position.  But I loved, loved, loved the things they had there.  I bought ornaments that the Princess and I painted, several different cute little figurines and some items that I still have on my walls.  I even bought things that I gave to others as gifts.  I just finished one that I intend to give as a gift to my niece-in-law tomorrow as a gift.  It's her birthday.  I just hope she likes it.

BTW...Happy Birthday, Lucia.  Love you much.  

It's going to be incredibly cold tonight.  The Beast has all the baseboard heaters on and his little electric one, too.  He's trying to make sure the house stays warm enough to not affect the heat that the chicks require.  It has to be around 85 right now in their containers.  It's going down to the lower 20's tonight and we are fighting the field mice that got into the house.  I put down a trap behind the little stand that I have my TV on.  When it went off, it scared the shit out of me.  I kid you not.  It took me a bit before I went and checked it.  Sure enough, a mouse was in it.  We used peanut butter as bait.  We have one in one of the pantries and it is very smart.  It's managed three times already to lick off the peanut butter and not set off the trap.  We may have to get one of those glue traps and I really don't like those.  The mice suffer.  

I knew I had one in my computer room.  I just happened to look in the right direction and the damn thing ran in back of my TV so fast that I thought I was seeing things.  It then had to have gone around the wall and over to the vent.  When I got my little flashlight and went to see if I could find out if it was real or not, it was gone.  I checked behind my desk and even behind the bookcase that's next to it.  Gone or else I WAS seeing things.  The trap going off tonight at least lets me know that I was NOT seeing things.  I'll set another one tomorrow (after I make the Beast empty the trap) just to make sure that it's the ONLY one that was in here.  The Beast has the central heat on most of the time now (it doesn't really do the job because it's too small a unit) but the ductwork is crappy.  It's flexduct and was poorly installed.  But the Beast isn't physically able to do the repairs it needs and hiring someone to do it (and replace what needs replacing) is just too expensive.  That's why we got the baseboard heaters.  

Most of the time they are enough but not when it gets down this low (or lower).  It's not cheap when we have them all on but what can you do?  Freeze?  Hell no!

Cee and I may be taking a trip to Central Illinois next month.  To see a dentist of all things.  We both need to get replacements for our dentures.  My dear departed brother-in-law found a dentist that makes really nice ones cheap.  Well, cheaper than here.  I was totally shocked at what the Beast paid at this denture place here.  $800 for just a bottom plate.  I got both in Florida and didn't even pay $500.  But where I got them is just too far away.  Besides, the dentist in Central Illinois (a mere 7 hour drive away) charges just a little over $300 for both (when they are replacements).  That's my kind of price...LOL!  He did a great job on Jim's so I think it will work out for us both.

Cee and I will drive up together and stay at my sister-in-law's.  I love her dearly and will enjoy being with her for a few days.  Cee and I can stop at my son, Mustachio's and also stop to see Marcus and Raven on our way back...I hope.

Time to get this missive posted.  Love you all and I wish you a great Hump Day.  Stay safe.  ***Hugs***