Better...Then Worse.

Well my knees are better and my feet are better...thank goodness. I appreciate the well wishes very much. I guess pains just come and go and you live with them as you get older.

Now I have a terrible head cold. Now you might be asking how I would manage such a thing when I am home pretty much all the time. It is true, I don't get exposed to the public much...but five minutes was enough.

I have a neighbor, well, he lives across town...anyway, he came by to get some eggs. He called ahead and he didn't sound like himself. Well, he got to the house and we went through the living room into the kitchen to get his eggs. I told him he didnt sound right over the phone...and he tells me he has a terrible head cold as he whips out his hankerchief and waves it all about the room and blows his nose and puts it back several times.

I immediately stopped breathing deep...shying away from his personal space.

You see, ever since Shelby has been homeschooled we don't get sick anymore. She used to get sick all the time...bring it home and we would all get sick. I hated it. Now, we stay well pretty much all year around. So when we get sick, it is a real burden. I have too much to keep up with to get sick. Now I am not complaining, its just the way it is.

Now, I want to know something. Why do people do this? Why do they expose themselves unnecessarily to others to share their germs? Are they just not thinking? He could have informed me and said "No, I will just stay out here on the porch while you get the eggs, I don't want to get anyone sick." But he didn't. So now I am sick. I feel like doo doo. My throat is sore, I have a fountain of mucus constantly running down the back of my throat, which in turn makes the sore throat worse.

I don't know about you...but when I am sick, I make a point of staying away from folks. I don't go visiting...I don't go to the store, I don't do anything like that. I don't invite people over.

I can't tell you how many times some of Shelbys friends have come to spend the night and come to find out they were getting over something. One time it was strep throat! Guess what, she got it.What is wrong with people that they want to share the wealth of their sicknesses?

Anyway, I am the benefactor of that generosity. I could have done without it, really could have.

I want to thank y'all for all the nice compliments on my land and the area around me. Guess I should take a pic of the house sometime, lol. I do have some, they are older, not that anything has really changed about the house. Paula, I have been up there, it is just houses and an old feed store...its called Vincent Mountain I believe. Hollie, yep, I am on my feet too much, but I don't sit still for long. I have inherited my mothers side of the family's body...and keeping weight off is a problem, and we have a history of both kinds of arthritis, so I figure I better keep moving or lose it! ;) I did get the front mowed yesterday, but the back still needs to be mowed. I mowed it clumps and all...just had to. Then the tire on the front wheel came off the wheel! Can you believe it! I was freaking out. So Ian is fixing that today. Lisa, I will get some close ups of the cotton for you...the plants are blooming right now and it is very pretty. When they come back through later, I think they spray the plant to kill it, and then it looks all ugly. They do that after the cotton has popped out. Right now it is pretty.

No word from Sherry yet. Still waiting.

Well, I am feeling kind of run down, so I am going to close for now. I will have some pictures later...hope everyone has a good day...I am going to try and have the best day I can.

Having Trouble Keeping Up

I guess it is my father coming out in me...but I like to try to have things caught up. That is becoming increasingly impossible as the rains come almost every day. You can look on the radar and it is clear right now over most of the southeast...but you guessed it...we have a blob of green, yellow and red on the radar headed our way in just a matter of an hour or maybe less.

I can't keep up! The rain every day makes the grass grow so fast, and well ,we all know you can't cut it wet, it just lays down and clumps up. So what choice do I have but to wait til an opportune moment to mow...but then my moment was yesterday apparently...and I wasted it by building on Bonnie and Clydes indoor condo. It is put together and I intended on painting it today...but I think it is going to get rained on unless I can maneuver it into the garage in time. I also need to pick up all my tools and wires and whatnot from working on it yesterday. I was so exhausted I didnt even pick up.

I have been having a lot of pain lately. Night before last both my knees swoll up, the right one was the worst. I was in excruciating pain. After I took a shower I put an icepack on it and the next morning it was manageable. My feet have been killing me also. I have suspected heel spurs for a while now. I am one of those people that don't go to the doctor unless I just HAVE to. I manage the pain and get through it til it goes away, until next time. I seem to have good months and bad months.

I don't like to complain about my ailments, so lets move on to other things. It just makes me feel bad, and I want to feel good.

Do you ever get too many things going at once, and look around in despair? LOL That is me. I have the rug up from the screen porch, but going to look for replacement outdoor carpet seems to be eluding me. I went to Lowes but the only color I halfway liked they were out of. This was on Friday and getting someone to help me was like pulling teeth. I was very disappointed...felt like I was in Home Depot...stuff all in the aisles waiting to be put away. No help in sight. Their saw was broken. What a shame. So, I am going to go to Home Depot and get treated just as badly and see if they have something more to my liking for the porch floor. While I was at Lowes I did manage to get almost all of what I needed for making the chicken condo. Lucky for me my husband works somewhere where he has access to all kinds of goodies like plexiglass and four by fours...so that was an expense I didnt have to shoulder.

Now I am going to tell you, I am not very good at building things. My Daddy, now he can build some great stuff, bookcases, desks, tables, all wonderful stuff. I suck at it. I really do. I keep trying though. LOL Ian just shakes his head and wonders what I am thinking. He gets home from work yesterday and looks at my work...and finds himself helping me...trying to help me to finish it before I make a complete disaster out of it. I tell him just to wait, its ugly now, but when I get it painted and decorated with those curtains and some decorative flowers painted on the legs and such, it will look good. He has a very doubtful look in his eye as I say all this, but I really did have this vision of what it would look like when its finished. I am better at drawing and painting than woodworking so maybe it will offset my shoddy woodworking...lol.

Here are a few pics I took the other day...now you have seen the mowing I do out back...and now its time for the front again...already the back is catching up to the front...I love this first picture..it is a better picture of the mountain and the cotton...

 

Thats cotton across the street too...over a hundred acres...

Shame shame...I need to edge this driveway...more than I can keep up with lately I tell you...but I am blessed to have all this to fall behind on...so I won't complain too much..

 

 

On another note...Sherry isprobably recieving her letter from me today, if not already this past Saturday...so we will see now.

Also, I have finished my hatching for the year...cleaned the incubator and put it away. I will take pictures of the last of my babies..including the two silkie babies, soon as I get a minute to do so...maybe I can get that done while its raining...lol.

Well, its time to get up from here and try to get some things done today...try to be productive and put a smile on my face while doing so..Dad would want that. He is big on Smiles. :) Hope everyone has a great day today whatever you decide to do!

Just Some Pictures of Tim

I recently let Tim and the six hens in with him out of their pen to be free now that I am done breeding for the year. They enjoyed their newfound freedom to its fullest. Only one hen hangs out with Tim now. The others have spread out amongst the flock and do their thing. In the evening they all still roost together though. Tim is one of my favorite roosters...he was my first show bird. He did well at show recieving first place in his breed. That would be impressive except he was the only one in his breed there, BUT with that being said...your bird can be judged and not recieve a placing at all...so I think that was a good mark. It is entertaining to see him go after the June bugs...he does a ballet of sorts when the bug starts to fly in circles he goes right along with the bug...and his long flowing tail is billowing as he spins around and around..it is kinda neat to see. He always catches the bugs for his girls...gives them right over.

 

 

My Oldest Friend

I love this lady...she is my oldest friend. We have been friends since we were thirteen years old. There have been good times and bad times between us, but our friendship has prevailed.

 

We don't always see eye to eye on some issues...but that is not important. We agree to disagree and move on. For the most part we are pretty much just easy going and love each others company when we get the chance...which is not often.

I am worried about her. I hope I am wrong...but I think that something is not right in her life.

A while back she had mentioned to me that she was almost 40 and basicly things were not the way she wanted them to be by now. I know we all take a step back from time to time and analyze our lives...and sometimes we don't like what we see...especially if we compare our lives to others.

Reading about Marys ex, that is her friend also..makes me think of my friends restlessness.

I wrote her a letter...a letter of encouragement. I wanted her to know that I was not mad at her, could never be mad at her. I think she may think I am because she forgot about calling me that Wednesday that she had marked down on the calendar and then forgetting she was supposed to come up that weekend.

I think that her life is too busy. She is stressed. I did tell her that you have to choose to be happy when you get up in the morning. Sometimes it is hard, I know. But you have to try to be happy. I told her she has 2 beautiful children, a roof over her head and a man that loves her very much. Her children are not perfect, her house is not perfect and her man is not perfect. I don't think any of us achieve total perfection. But we have to try and make the best of the world we have made for ourselves...and if change is needed, then don't stray from your goal.

I am afraid that she is straying from her family. There is a lady that has recently reappeared in her life. I have never met her...but she seems bossy and pushy...from what I have observed and heard. I will tell you more...but I better save this much...brb

I called her one Saturday night about ohhh I dont know its been over a month now...about 10:30 at night. I thought, hey, its saturday night, nothing pressing should be going on at this time, good time to talk a while on the phone. Tracy is her name. She has one of those smokers gravely voices too...ugh. I hear her in the background and she keeps asking Sherry questions, where does this go, where do you want this. I asked Sherry what was going on and she told me Tracy was there helping her clean her house. That is all fine and good, but then I hear her boss Sherry and tell her she needs to get off the phone and help her clean. I told Sherry to tell her that I was calling long distance to talk to my dearest oldest friend and cleaning could WAIT. She did. That shut her up, for a minute at least.

Now, on more than one occasion I have called Sherrys house to have Tracy pick up the phone. Once when NOBODY was home and once when people were home. What is going on? Is she taking over the house?

I talked to Kelly, that is her long time boyfriend of 14 years, also the father of their youngest, Kelsey.

It seems he is not too fond of Tracy. It seems Sherry is never home anymore. It seems that she is lodged up Tracys rear most of the time. So she has time to stay away from home and hang out with Tracy, but not to take a minute to call me. Yeah, I know, I sound sarcastic...and I am being sarcastic. But I am not mad, just concerned. I am concerned because Sherry has made mention of how fancy and nice and fashionable Tracys home is, and she wished hers was that way I know. But she cannot afford all the fancy window dressings and things like that. Its not practical. Yet Sherry tells me Tracy has suggested she should take down the blankets covering Kelseys windows and put up some nice blinds. That is great, is Tracy gonna buy the blinds for her?

I don't know what to make of it all just yet. I do know that Kelly said in a low sighing voice that maybe Sherry will come back down to earth sooner or later, he hoped.

I don't keep many friends. I have been burned so many times over the years...I just rather not even go there. We are the result of trials and tribulations, fights and making up, the good the bad and the ugly all worked up into one pot. The main ingredient in our relationship has and always will be LOVE. I love her...and I want her to be happy, but I don't think that Tracy is the way to happiness.

Okay, just wanted to talk all that out...see...I don't have chickens on the brain ALL the time...he he...

Anyway, the letter is sent out...we will see what happens when she gets it, if she will call me like I asked, just take the time to call, just for a minute. So we can get together face to face and talk. I can come down there, its no problem. All she has to do is ask and I will be there. I have and always will be here.

Lets hope I am way off base...but my intuition tells me I am not.

More Outdoor Work Done

I have to tell you that sometimes Dad (Dads Tomato Garden) will really get you started on the right foot for the day. He motivates me to get up and get going in the morning. Here is the result of some of his motivation...he he...I just hate shrubbery. I love flowers, but hate shrubbery, except for azaleas, I do like them..so trimming the bushes back was a job I wasnt looking forward to. I also weeded out the beds and came up on a cow ant. I wish I had gotten a picture of it. They aren't actually ants, they are wingless wasps. They are huge, and a velvety red. I don't know from personal experience, and never want to know, but I have heard that it hurts BAD to get stung by one. They are solitary so you won't be swarmed, but one is enough to make you take a few steps back.

 

 

I made quite a mess on the driveway and the sidewalk didn't I? It is all cleaned up now though.

Saving...

That evening I was sitting out on the porch resting and Shelby came out...within a few minutes she had noticed something I was oblivious to...one of the baby swallows had fallen out of the nest in the corner of the porch. Poor baby! I told her to go get Ian right away and he would climb up there and put the baby back. Here is a picture of them...there are five in all...and it is already getting tight in there..I will try to get a better picture of them later. Once they are bigger I can get better pictures of them in the nest. No harm done, Ian got the baby back in the nest and all is well again.

 

Alright, no more fooling around, its time to get going this morning. I feel much better when I have a productive day and get a lot done...I also sleep like a baby when I work hard. I sure hope we get a little sunshine today..been so long since we have had any amount of sunshine. We need it to dry things up a bit. Everyone have a wonderful day...see you tomorrow.

Here is a site that has pictures of all kinds of wingless wasps. The second picture listed is the male cow ant, also called cowkillers because the species sting hurts so bad. Also called the velvet ant. The pictures on down of the red wingless is the female, what I saw in the flower bed.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/velvet_ants.html

Come Mow With Me

Its amazing what music can do to lift your spirits. That and a couple of cups of coffee. All caught up on chores I can now sit and relax for about an hour before Ian gets home and its time to start supper. What have I been doing you ask...well I did the dishes, three loads of clothes, swept and mopped the dining room area and the kitchen, fed Nick and Nack, the chicks, Bonnie and Clyde, and Phoenix, swept the back porch, trash out, dusted and vacuumed the bedroom and the living room, made the beds, had a visit from the neighbor dog George, again, almost every day now...called Lisa to come get him. (Everytime their MIGHT be a storm coming, he is headed this way.) Swept out the bathroom, wiped down the counter...I think thats all for now.

Now, onto other things...lets make an entry!

Once again, I will be doing this in segments as to not lose things due to my poor connection..so here we go.

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I love to mow. I guess that is a good thing, since I have a lot to mow. It is relaxing to ride along and smell the fresh cut grass and watch the chickens and all their antics. Take a ride with me and see what I see...

 

 

With this half done...looking over to the right...time to do the other half...

 

Pausing to save...

Mmmm now that looks nice and smell that fresh cut grass..

 

A look over towards the back I see a neighbor is riding his tractor around...

 

Here we go...take a look over the fence...look at that cotton...it was so dry at the first of the planting season but has really taken off since we have had so much rain. I love that mountain in the background...so beautiful to look at in the morning off the front porch while having a cup of coffee..

 

A Buttercup hen searching along the back fence for any bugs I might have disturbed...she walked along as I mowed for quite a while...

 

One thing I cant stand...FIRE ANTS!!! Mowed them down...they don't seem to happy about it...but I am never happy about them biting me when I walk through the yard either...

 

A pass by the garden....Ians squash and cucumber plants...he planted carrots and peppers where it is bare. For some reason nothing came up...

But we have no shortage of squash and cucumbers!

 

Now I reckon someone somewhere might think this is kind of boring being in the slow lane like we are and all...but I love it. Sometimes I have to pinch myself and make sure that I am not dreaming. "Sometimes I can't believe this life is mine" in the words of Jason Aldean. This world is spinning so fast, and seems so out of control...if people could just slow down and see what I see, smell what I smell, they might never get in that fast lane again. I know I am one of the fortunate ones. Some people will never know the peace I know. Life is good...I love the country...always and forever.

Well, y'all its been an hour already. I will have more pictures and more to say tomorrow. Right now its time to get supper going..I am going to cook a rotisserie chicken in the rotisserie oven, steam some fresh broccoli, shuck some fresh corn and boil it, get out some wheat rolls and heat them up, and I think some black eye peas would be good with that too. Oh, we are getting rain, as usual this afternoon...every afternoon I tell ya. Going to go into the mud selling business...lol.

Trying But No Luck

I have been trying for two days to access Create A Journal. When I click on it, it just says that AOL Journals are not available right now...well when will it be? Its been two days! So, I have not been able to make my other journals like I wanted to. I will be back later to make an entry with pictures...right now I am feeling somewhat sleepy...we have gotten rain every day and every night for days and it makes me sleepy..so I will indulge myself for a couple of hours and be back later on with coffee in hand. :)

An Account of How Things Came To Be

It just occurred to me that some folks to do not really "know" me, or my background, how I grew up...what childhood was like, things of that nature. So, I am going to start a journal on my life, how I grew up...how things were for me. Memories I guess you could say...just things as they pop into my mind....and I am going to start another journal on how I came to have chickens in the first place...

 

Now I just have to figure out what to call these two new journals. When I have that worked out in my mind, then I can begin. I may have to see about getting some old pictures from my Mama and Daddys album...and do some digging around here too. This might be fun...and I am willing to bet, once the weather turns cold I will really get into these two offshoot journals. I have to take my time, think about things...remember, think back...daydream...ought to keep me busy during the winter months.

The two pictures above are what I will start each journal with. One is of me as a toddler, and one is of my first chicks.

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I also wanted to mention Dwains Journal over on the side bar. Please go and visit him when you have time and leave a comment for him. The ten chicks he has pictured on his last entry are of the Serama I hatched for him in trade for a pair of Red Gold Pheasants I will attempt to breed next Spring. He absolutely adores these chicks. When I went to his house to exchange birds I had such a good time looking at all his birds. He also has some rabbits. I don't have a picture of my pheasants yet, but he has a picture of the male in his first journal entry. He found my journal by accident when surfing for anything on Seramas...and thought it sounded so familiar...and when he asked...I told him yes, that was my journal he had found...small world even on the internet isntit? I inspired him to keep a journal as well...to talk about his birds and his family history. He is into geneology and has traced ancestors to quite a ways back with stories to go with them. I am always interested in old time stories, and I hope he will post some for us soon.

Well, I think the weather is going to cooperate...the sun is out, for now...haven't seen much of that in it seems like over a week. So, I am going to take advantage of it and go out and do some mowing this morning. I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday and I will see you all tomorrow morning. Bye for now...

Gardening/Bonnie and Clyde

Everyone has things that they are good at...one thing I did not inherit from my Daddy was gardening. I do good to grow a little patch of tomatoes...and even that is proving challenging as the tomato horn worms are trying their best to discourage that little venture. I have dusted the plants, but we get rain every day, so I have just left the cannister of dust sitting right next to the plants to remind me to dust them every day. I have had to throw away three out of five ripening tomatoes. The chickens don't seem to be complaining as they LOVE tomatoes and go for it like it was the best thing since Japanese Beetles and June Bugs. After all, you don't have to chase a tomato down!

Ian on the other hand, seems to be VERY good at growing a garden. He has picked a large bucketful every day like this picture. Yes, this is just one days worth. I had better learn to use that pressure cooker and get some pickling supplies huh? LOL

 

It is a shame he slacked off on the other half of the garden that he had tilled. We would be covered up in other vegetables as well. Time does not allow for these luxuries at this time in our lives. He has to work six days a week and it takes just over an hour to get to work, and over an hour back home...that just doesnt leave a lot of time for gardening. Keeping up with the weed picking proves a challange all on its own. I am just glad he has found his niche here on our land. He played soccer since he was eight years old...then found golf when his body wouldnt allow him to beat it to death anymore with playing soccer...but playing golf takes planning...and he would go with his Dad...and his Dad lives about 2 hours away from us now. I think the gardening makes him happy...and it is proving very rewarding as you can see!

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I am going to save this section...and then come back...I am afraid that AOL will cut me off and I would just lose my mind, and we don't want that now...as I dont have a lot to lose anymore...he he..

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Well that is just great...I had the other half of this entry...and got kicked off...don't you just hate that? You pour all your feelings and your thoughts into it, and they POOF...its gone...and even though you do it over, it will not be word for word the same...but I will try again...and save EACH PARAGRAPH as I go...isnt that just pitiful that I have to do that.

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Last Friday Mamas new found brother and his family stopped in on their way home from their vacation trip to Tennessee. They went to the Grand Ole Opry, and I never manage to catch it on TV, but this time I just happened to see the very show they went to. It was the one with Josh Turner and Montgomery Gentry. I would have loved to have been there! Montgomery Gentry was Shelbys first concert ever...it was a blast and we got really close to them on stage.  They also went to Lookout Mountain and Ruby Falls. That is where Ian and I went on our honeymoon. Hard to believe it has been eighteen years since we have been there...maybe we should think about taking Shelby...I think she would love it. They also went to the Tennessee Aquarium. That is always something fun to go see. We love it there.

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So Shelby and I went and hung out and visited with Paul and his family for a few hours at Mama and Daddys. Mama made home made chili, cornbread and salad. It was delicious as usual! Paul and Kay have two sons, one is Andrew, I think he is 9? and their older Patrick is 16 I believe, he might be 17 now. Anyway...

I brought Phoenix, Bonnieand Clyde with us! I knew they would love it...Andrew was absolutely enthralled with them. I made a point not to feed any of them that morning so their would be no poop balls...but Phoenix had other plans and made a messy poo...and I always bring paper towels, cleaner and disinfectant to clean up, just in case. So, he had to go back up in his carrier. Can't have that. Even at home, if someone has a bout of messy poo, they arent allowed to wander about the carpet. Its just like people I guess, it happens.

So Andrew was just enfatuated with Bonnie. She is so personable anyway. Over the past month she and Cyde have been something else. I just thought Phoenix was affectionate! Soon as you let those two out Bonnie is out and up on someone wanting to be petted and rubbed under her wings. By the time afternoon rolled around Andrew was asking his parents for a pet chicken...lol. Who could blame him for trying. Course it was a big NO. I think Kay, his mom, may have been a little afraid of them. She avoided them and wouldnt hold Bonnie when Andrew tried to get her to hold her. She cringed up a little. She told him when he was grown he could have whatever he wanted...lol.

It was a good time and a good visit. We enjoyed it very much.

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Just an example of how Bonnie is. They are fearless. Phoenix hates the vacuum. I had it going in the bedroom and had let those two out to stretch their wings a little. They came a wandering in, checking out this and that. I had my back turned and all of the sudden I felt a breeze on my backside and then a little chicken on my shoulder! She had flown up from the floor to my shoulder while I was vacuuming, and just hung out there while I finished. What a hoot. They are a never ending source of entertainment. They have also discovered the evening suppertime. So now I have three beggars in the evening rather than one. Some have a couple of dogs begging at the table, not me, I have three little chickens begging! Now what about that? ;) I wish you could know and see how they are, such big hearts and big personalities. It is something special to be around.

 

Here is a picture of them settling down next to Ian on the couch while he watches some TV. :)

Getting an email from Paul...I asked permission to add a paragraph from it...a bit of his memories from his childhood that I wanted to share on here...

You're right, living in Columbus I have never been around chickens. One thing from my childhood that I will always remember is going with my adoptive mother over to her mothers farm in Sylacauga Alabama. Her father had died along time ago and her mother had remarried an old farmer named Mr. Riddle. They decided we all would have chicken for supper. I followed Mr. Riddle out into the pen where they had many chickens. I won't say what he did to the bird but he took it in ready to cook in just a few minutes. I was amazed. I always wanted to spend a summer there and help him on the farm and learn about those things. I have many good memories of that farm.

 

 

Falling Behind

Falling behind seems to be the case here on my journal as of late. I have plenty to go on about...just haven't taken the time to do so...so...I will try and catch up this morning.

I have pictures of stuff...but haven't made the time to load them onto the computer...but I will..I promise!

Lets see...I guess I will begin with happenings over a week ago. I had another sale fall through on the chicks. I don't think I am going to do this again. It was fun at first, but then when people don't follow through with their promise of an order pick up, it kind of puts a damper on things. I was able to trade with a new bird lover friend ten Serama chicks for a proven pair of Red Golden pheasants. I still have not made the time to take pictures...but...I inspired my friend to start blogging about his birds...so I will add his link to my sidebar and he has a picture of the male in his first entry. He is also into geneology which I find very interesting. I have a few people in my family that pursue this and I am always interested in their findings and the stories that go with these ancestors.

I am now down to just the chicks I am hatching for myself. I have a nice assortment of Golden Phoenix, Silver laced Polish, and Serama chicks. I have six eggs left in the incubator now. Five are the Silkie eggs my friend Kay sent to me...thank you again Kay. :) She sent me a bunch...some just did not fare well in the trip and did not continue to develop..but if these five will make it that will be fine...I am just happy to have them.

Bonnie laid her first egg. I don't know how she managed it! She is a tiny little girl and if I didn't know better I would think that someone was playing a trick on me and put a big egg in there for me to find! I don't know how she passed it. It was as big as a silkie egg, poor girl. I put it in the incubator for grins...and believe it or not...it has veins now! So that means it is fertile and developing. I am excited about that.

It has rained and rained here. It has rained so much I cant get my mowing done and the grass is just growing and growing like wildfire! I know there are many folks thatneed rain, so I won't complain...but it does make it hard to get things done outside.

Yesterday we had a really bad looking storm coming in. I waited a little to late but managed to call Derby in to shelter. As he was about to enter the gated area I stood there waving a carrot at him about 25 feet away over near his shelter calling him...and about became crispy Kelly and crispy Derby. I have never been that close to getting hit by lightening. It scared us both. A bolt came down right between us...and the sizzling sound was enough to make your hair stand on end. He took it a lot better than I did. His eyes got big and he jumped a little, but I called him in to hurry up. Got him in, reluctantly went and closed the gate and hurried in. Then the bottom fell out and it really rained and blew and stormed.

Sherry did not call me on Wednesday as she promised. I was disappointed as we had had a very excitable conversation about her coming up this past Friday and spending the night. We were going to go to Collinsville AL and go to the trade day thing, flea market. I called on Saturday...and was able to talk to Kelly, that is her long time boyfriend of 14 years. Also the father of Kelsey, thier daughter. After talking to him for some time, I pretty much got the picture of what is going on with her.

He told her that he thought she might have hurt my feelings. She asked him why. She didnt even remember she was supposed to come, let alone call me to confirm. He told her to look at the calendar. She frowned and said OH. I had had her write a note to herself on the calendar to remind her to call me.

I got a message on my phone of ramblings about her brother coming on Wednesday with his kids..and then she had to work on Thursday. SO. That doesnt mean anything for Friday.

Through talking to Kelly, I found out about this new pushy bossy friend. I may or may not have mentioned her. I think her name is Tracy. She showed up not too long ago...Sherry had not seen her for about eight years. She has been helping Sherry clean her house from time to time. The problem is, I think Sherry sees her as a grass is greener kind of person. Tracy seems to have a fashionable home, and I think Sherry envies that. She suggests things to Sherry, like putting up blinds and things of that nature. That would be fine, except Sherry cannot afford any extras and luxuries of this nature. She makes do with what she has on hand, and if she finds something nice at a yard sale and such, then she uses that. Lately Sherry has been spending alot of time with this lady. Too much. She is always gone. Is not spending time with her family. Now, I realize this is only one side of the story, and I do intend to get the other side before getting too upset. I know that Sherry does not have the perfect child, the perfect house, the perfect relationship, but it is her life, and it isnt that bad. I think she wants more out of her life, she has said as much to me. I think she is restless and maybe unhappy with the fact that she is going on fourty and doesnt have what she wants out of life. Welcome to the majority of the human race I say. You have to try and be happy with what you have, and not worry about what you dont have.

Erin called me, thats my younger sister. Crying into the phone at 12:30 am night before last.

I have to talk to you, I have questions, please dont call, just thought you would be up...all in a quivery crying voice.

If she knew me at all, she would know I am NEVER up that late. I go to bed with the chickens and I get up with the chickens.

Bottom line was, she once again screwed up. Daddy was right to get onto her. If she is going to live under their roof, then she needs to get home and not drag herself in the house at nearly midnight when others have to get up and go to work the next morning, including her. Lies, more lies. Going out to eat, going shopping, be home later...yeah, but what do you need to go shopping for THAT LATE??? It is probably best she didnt get me that night. Because all I would have asked her was

Well, why were you so late getting in?

She doesnt call me, she doesnt want my opinion. I tell it like it is, and I dont tell her what she wants to hear. So why she called me this time I have no idea. I still have not heard back from her so I guess her crisis is over for the moment. Always the drama.

Life is simple, if you let it be. She complicates things. Flip flopping back and forth between her ex husband and her ex? boyfriend that she had the last three years of her marriage. That pretty much tells it all doesnt it.

Well, around here at my house it has been wonderful and simple. We like it that way. Just us and the critters, doing our thing.

Now if you found this entry extremely boring, I am sorry. This was just a catch up entry, and I will try and get back to some chicken talk and some lovely pictures on my next entry. :) I guess this entry was just kind of for me, to put this past week down on paper so to speak.

Monday Photo Shoot

 A little late on the draw here...but wanted to make a contribution to the Monday Photo Shoot of John Scalzi.

This week was taking pictures of what goes on in your back yard. These are pictures of an anxious mob waiting to be fed, and the mob ascending on the scratch I threw out to take the pictures...you would think they were starving huh? They really aren't, but they act like every meal is their last... but it isnt, not around here. :)