Wit, Wisdom & Wonder

While its delightful to be busy, last week was a bit too busy! So this week, Gods willing, we're hoping for some peace and quiet. There's several quiet projects on the agenda, like cleaning the house and fixing the incubator. We'll be hoping to get some Silkie eggs put in by middle of next week.

Tomorrow I need to hit the Commissary, as we're out of nearly everything. I also have a bit of baking to do, mini-meat pies for hubby's lunch for the week.

I have some organizing to do, left over from the fire when the cleaning crew disorganized our books by putting all the books back willy-nilly. There's also some incense making to be done and other Craft projects and organizing.

Gearing up for my Flame Keepers schedule and wanted to take inventory on what's going on vs what's been completed.

Ongoing:
Silkie chicks - we have LOTS of Silkie chicks. Honestly, I've no idea how many, its roughly 35 or so. 24 I picked up last week, the 6 we hatched here (mostly Frizz), then the ones we purchased earlier. I will take an inventory! Update: 33 :D

Orpingtons - the waiting until they are old enough to breed has begun. Geesh. This will take until roughly July.

Ameraucanas - I'm THIS CLOSE, to pulling eggs out to have Silkies brood, since the Silkie mixes aren't laying anyway.

East Wing - Kevin dug the fence trenches, so we'll need to staple boards to the bottom of the fence and bury it, then back fill the trenches. From there, we need to finish the upper fencing (i.e. between the pens so they can't fly from one to another), connect the upper to the lower fencing (likely tightening the lower fencing in the process), then hang the gates (after purchasing them, budget ouch) and procure 2 additional coops. I'm thinking a minimum of 2 more work days here. *cross fingers*

Flash's ears - poor guy, he's had yeast infections on and off all winter. We've finally found a natural herbal product that seems to be working. He's not thrilled by the process, but he's definitely finally on the mend. Hopefully, this time the treatment will last awhile. The prescription stuff never seemed to last long.

Done:
Denim bench pad: I still want to decorate it with a few stars, but otherwise its holding up well. Proud of it and its likely to get a few matching pillows at some point.

Wormery: Josh is finishing up as I type by drilling holes (in fact, doubling the number) in the other two Sterlite containers for air circulation. Lori is coming by to see them around noon. I'm tapped out budget-wise, so the rest of the worm purchasing is on her.

West Wing: Up and running, all we need is warmer weather to paint the coops! I'm pretty thrilled to have it good to go. We'll be moving around some chickens (an eternal process) but its great.

Saturday morning



Wednesday morning



Rain is on the weather report for the next 9 days.

I'm waiting on the flooring rep, who very kindly called this morning to let me know what time she expects to be here within the rather large window we reserved. She sounds like a nicely take charge sort, which is good as I'm rather indecisive about renovations. I'm horrid when it comes to decorating, I haven't the "eye" for such so I tend to stick to basics. Part of my problem is that while visually I appreciate many artistic forms, at the end of it, I prefer simplicity with just a tiny bit of folk whimsy. Which is very difficult, I find, to plan for. It sort of happens organically. Budgets suffer due to impatience on that, sadly.

Update: $3000. Ugh. That's $1000 more than I expected. SHIT!

I'm watching Billy Connolly's "Journey to the Edge of the World: White Pass, Alaska". At some point, I just need to buy the entire BBC series, I've only seen this Alaska series and I'm hooked. I so adore Connolly, he spends more time laughing at himself than at anything else. He reminds me of my older Irish relatives, so charming, so honest, so warm. I'm endlessly charmed by him. He has this fascination for life I treasure, especially in how he relates to people. There doesn't seem to be anyone who doesn't fall for him in some fashion and he for them. Its a pleasure to watch someone so in love with everything he discovers, be it music, people, food or places. This is what I consider true purity of spirit!

I have new glasses and a new purple witch hat (a weakness of mine, I don't even look that great in purple). The latter is due to a trip to Pier One, as I'm looking for bistro cushions for the back porch. I'm hoping for something bright and folk-arty. I only need two, but its not been easy because it sets the tone for the rest of the porch. I may try Target again, but its so late in the season now.

The back porch received its second coat of paint this afternoon. Now we're just waiting for it to dry.

The rest of the week, at a glance:

Wednesday: Michael is coming first thing to get the dog tunnel installed. Which means I'm going to have to cancel on the poultry 4-H folks tomorrow, much to my friends' relief, I'm sure. Back goes the knee brace that didn't fit right. I'll keep the poultry net, which will come in handy here as I'm tired of stooping it back and forth between the chicken coops and the duck pens. I'm desperate to get the back gates painted, so I'll likely do that tomorrow. I should be okay in the open air. I have a face mask, gloves and overalls.

Thursday: Paint must be chosen and purchased: new kitchen color, new foyer color and more dining room paint. And another gallon or two of ceiling paint for the front of the house.

Friday: Jeremiah is coming over to PAINT THAT DAMN WALL! I don't care if I have to borrow money from my mother for the wedding in Colorado. I cannot take another week of looking at that f*cking wall. I admit I'm shallow, over-reacting and freaking out. Screw it. That wall is getting painted this week. Likely once I'm done groveling in gratitude, he'll finish up by painting the foyer, dining room, kitchen and ceilings in the front of the house.

Friends have offered to help Josh yank out the carpet and replace it with Pergo. So that's waiting until September.

*whew*

Slowly working to get things done, it may be bright but it is also very chilly. I was hoping to get the brooder chicks outside for a bit today, then move them out to the blue shed pen tomorrow. It needs to happen, but its hard to commit. I love having them in the house, even though they are messy (dust everywhere) and noisy. I need to check that the pen is still secure before I do so. Not a fun thing, its actually very messy so I'm saving it until later in the day.

Today is chore day, getting things done around the house and getting myself ready. I'm slowly getting the chores done today, especially laundry. Flash isn't safe to leave unsupervised around laundry, so I need to get this done before I go. Plus that whole "need clothes on the trip" thing.

Wednesday is errand day, plenty of those to do. Since I'm going to Diabetes Bootcamp tomorrow, I figure I may as well pick up scripts while I'm at the Naval Hospital. And since I'm driving back through town, I may as well do the feed run, too. Maybe even a few errands to find a few gifts.

I'm a little concerned that I may not have left enough time to take the shuttle, get checked in, go through security and get to the gate with time to spare. Will be working on that dreadful math soonest.

Sadly, the heater refused to send up heat this morning. Gods, I hate that thing. Plenty of air, but cold air. Texted Kevin and settled in to organize the recycling since it was overwhelming the recycling area in the kitchen. I'm hoping to set up a recycling area in the side shed. Given that I was now having a Monday on a Sunday, I went ahead and cleaned the kitchen. Even yanked everything out of the fridge and cleaned it, then re-organized the contents. Which basically showed me that we are desperately in need of a Commissary run. Which sadly, won't take place until Tuesday. *eye roll*

Kevin arrived this afternoon to kick and curse at the heater until it started spouting forth hot air, again. At this rate, I'm not sure we can limp that sucker until April.

So to date, here's the list known as THINGS I CANNOT GET FIXED:
the roof (where's my tax refund?)
the dining room/living room 1/2 wall (2 years now, where's my contractor?)
Bunhalla/Duckgard (where's my warm weather?)

Which basically, is now depressing me to no end. So I decided to spend a little time on one of my favorite blogs printing recipes of things I'll likely never cook but like to think I will. I'll spend some time this evening pasting them into my cookbook binder.

Headed back to the stores this afternoon to pick up a new shower curtain liner, Master Bedroom bedspread, pillow cases to match and a bedskirt. Struck out horribly on the bedskirt (may just have to order one online) but otherwise managed to get the rest of our list. Meanwhile, despite having her help me move furniture all afternoon, Alicia still loves me and we're still having a wonderful time. Making her dinner tonight may have helped: Chicken breasts sprinkled with Rosemary, marinated in White Balsamic Vinaigrette, chopped up in Alfredo (farfale) pasta and topped with Bacon, Asiago, Parmesan and Romano cheese. A little bowl full of Heaven. We did strike out completely on a new bedset for the guestroom. I'll keep an eye on the websites for something that will match a North Atlantic theme in there.

Gracie, our Border Collie is having the most wonderful time with her Alicia. Its been a non-stop hugfest between those two. As expected, Gracie has assigned herself as Alicia's guestdog. Of course, poor Doodle did try to add himself to the registry. But Alicia's heart belongs to Gracie, though she's had a marvelous time teasing Doodle and throwing his toys for him. He's danced the dance of Carrot Joy for her, much to her amusement. Its lovely to see the dogs like this and have folks who appreciate them.

And finally, the chicken report: the new ladies were safely tucked safe and sound in the coop tonight. All on their own. We are having a bit of an issue with Winona, the Blue Wyandotte, who has been climbing into Onyx's brooder box and pecking at her to get off the eggs. *eye roll* A Cochin vs a Wyandotte in a brood-off. We live in interesting times.

Thus is the excitement of our days here on the Island.

Synapsepi and her son came over to play a bit today, so we were able to each make a biddy doll and attempt to make Brigid's crosses out of corn husks. Bad idea that. Messy idea, really. After trying several different sets of directions, I gave up. The biddy dolls, however, look great. They are drying on top of our woodstove for the night.



Doodle is now very much in love with Synapsepi's little boy, from whom he stole a banana. Poor Flash was broken hearted that he could not get some banana and basset guilt did ensue. Libby had a marvelous time stalking the little guy and is now passed on on top of the cable box. Gracie, not to be left out, herded him into the sofa. Thankfully he was a very good sport about it.

The chickens were a very big hit with the toddler, especially because we could let him run about in the bantam pen and touch the little chickens. Imp, gratefully, was on her best behavior and didn't peck anyone. Napoleon even allowed himself to be admired by Synapsepi. In the big coop, Big Blue was re-introduced to her, she hasn't seen him since before his sex change I don't think. The new ladies were introduced and I managed to confirm that Onyx, our black Cochin hen, is once again brooding. I may tuck a few Silkie eggs under her at some point. Decisions. Decisions.

Doodle woke up this morning, bright and early at 7:30am. Since no one was yet awake, he took on the solemn duty of jumping up and down on his Uncle Kevin until he woke up. We're not sure why Doodle has elected himself Waker Upper Extraordinaire, but he certainly has and he excels at it. There are very few things more effective at waking a man up than 45+ pounds of Basset Hound walking all over their crotch while licking their face.

Once Doodle is awake, it is extremely important that he go outside immediately. Doodle tends to forget about his bodily functions and often finds himself releasing his bladder while running around the house, wrestling with his brother Flash and just generally hanging about. Yes, Doodle is apparently that unaware. Uncle Kevin took him outside, fed the demanding ducks, let the chickens out and brought the ever-enthusiastic Doodle back inside. Instead of waking us, Doodle watched his Uncle Kevin make coffee, check email and get the fire started. By the time Gracie woke us, Doodle barely remembered we exist.

Through breakfast and even after the obligatory Christmas calls, Doodle shadowed his beloved Uncle Kevin. This is gift enough for Doodle. A quiet morning with someone to adore. Kevin left a few moments ago to drive downtown and see what's open, perhaps grab a mocha while he's at it. Only then did Doodle waddle over to say Good Morning to Josh and I, resting his crooked little elbows on the sofa cushion while we flipped his ears about. When he'd had sufficient attention, he went back to worshipping the napping BooBoo.

We should all be so content with our lives and take such obvious delight in those around us.