a little bit of my . . .

Since my last post my life has been fairly busy. My school term has come to a close. I have taken my vacation/spring break. I have built my chickens a coop and hen house, and taken my dog on a very tiring walk.

For those of you with little time, the previous has been a summation of the post which will follow. You will miss little if you quit reading now.

Vacation.
Ha ha. There is some evil little revenge in that word. Someone had a lot of fun thinking up that one. A time of relaxation and fun, spent with family and friends to escape the pressures of everyday life. Then why does a vacation cause more headaches than almost any other function? spark tension in the most loving friends and family? and generally leave one more tired than when one left for the thing? We were suppose to go to North and South Carolina originally, to visit family. That fell through, so we considered going camping. To cold. Finally we planned to take off just for a few days and head up to see Niagara Falls, the whole family, and Brit. As soon as our plans were set, they called for a snow storm and other nasty weather up that way. Soooo, we ended up heading out to South Carolina, then coming back up to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in kind of a drive-by/hit-and-run style. It was mostly fun, but I was bummed Tiff didn't get to go, and driving through the mountains always makes me car sick and crabby.

School.
Well, lets just say I'm at that point where I just don't care any more. In my mind I resign myself to flipping hamburgers for the rest of my life and determine to quite for good. Of course I won't, being much to sensible for that, but its nice to dream. :) So I have missed several days of school this term on account of travel, funeral, and just plain laziness. I had thought to add last Thursday to that list as well, since we got back only late on Wed. but some nagging little voice said that I ought to go. Lucky me! When I got to class I realized that I had misread the syllabus and today was the last day of class. I had to take three test and present a project in art class. It was a long day needless to say, but still, thank you God for that nagging little voice.

Chickens.
Can't live with them, so I found out, and I thought I couldn't live without them. Oh yes, I just had to have chickens. They are so cute! as chicks anyway. But little chicken grow to big smelly hens. (mine are not big smelly hens yet but somewhere in between.) I had house my chickens temporarily in a knocked-together cage in my little used back hallway till I could get a coop built. Wow was that a dumb idea. With all the running around I hadn't had time to work on the cage, and the chickens smelled worse everyday, despite my cleaning. Finally once we got back I could take no more and so coerced my Dad into helping me finish the incomplete structure. Well mostly. Once things had gotten along fairly well, He had to leave, and I was forced to finish it alone. I have worked with my Dad most of my life on this kind of thing, but I am still no great shakes with a saw, so forty five cuts later, I had my chickens hen house door cut. Between breaking drill bits, missing hammers, and contrary wire, it was a job, but it did get done, and last night my chickens spent there first night in their new home. Yeah me!

Dog.
Why I ever thought I wanted one I don't know. I am a cat person. It wasn't until my dog began racking up medical bills that I remembered that. And now I have shelled out so much that I refuse to get rid of him or let him die. He will live and be made into a good dog, or else!! To that end, I have begun his leash training. I'll admit it is touch and go, more of a when I have the time things than a regularly scheduled thing. His new talent of breaking and exiting has led me to believe that vigorous exercise, and a completely concrete pen are the answer. Until I can afford that much concrete, I have begun the exercise. OK just one day, but it worked well. With the whole family gone to an old friends for dinner, I still needed to get to the hardware store to get some hinges and latches for my chickens, so I leashed up the big brute and we took off on errands. First to the library to drop off some books and check to see if my holds had come in, (they hadn't) then to the Glassbarn for the hardware. Then on up to the Redding Feed Store to price some plants I need (want). Over and hour and a half later, we got home, and he was tired, to say the least. No escape attempts made so far. Tomorrow we shall do it again, but I think I'll get some roller blades and let him drag me. Then we won't have to go so far, and I wont be so tired when we get back.

So aside from a little yard work and reading, you are now completely caught up on my life in the past week or so. Aren't you so privileged?