Expensive Hobbies.

 Expensive Hobbies.

 

Now granted, the potting soil (50 lb) was $16.25, but still, the feed bill came to $76.95 this morning. Not buying that scratch was probably why it was so expensive, but the hens won’t eat the freaking corn! Go figure. Oh, the wild birds appreciate it greatly, but not my hens. Then on to TSC for a new feeder and waterer, some grit, four naked necks (Turkens) and five Easter Eggers. That was not cheap either--$58.34. Have never had Turkens, but BR says they lay nicely—brown eggs. We will see how this goes. AND to top it off, they were all straight run, so who knows but what there might be nine little roosters in between the five and four! Oh well. I have not been too happy about having to kill a hen—the one who walked like a penguin after the dogs ran over her. But she left us with the trash man this morning. May end up having fried chicken if someone doesn’t come get these two little Maran roosters. Have done it before, but didn’t enjoy killing chickens then and not looking forward to doing it again. One thing about it, fresh yard chicken does not taste anything at all like what you will find in the grocery store. These critters have the run of about a half a city block of grass and green stuff, plus any bugs that are stupid enough to get in the yard. And when it rains, they find worms.

 

Got out and worked a bit in the front flower bed until the old woman tuckered out. Got about half of it done, but need to get the dadgummed Bermuda roots out of that one corner. Those things go to China, don’t you know. Have some five-leaf ivy growing next to one post and plan to just allow it to grow. Mom and Dad had to remove some from their house one year. It was taking the siding off the house and was headed for the roof! Will try to keep this stuff corralled. Really need to get out and work with the little lawn mower around the sides of the east lots and then weed eat some on the inside and by the gates. Such fun. You know, having a membership to the YMCA would be a waste of money for me!

 

Ah, just went online and ordered a new SS card. Where things get to is beyond me, but it seems that several things have gone to that big empty over the years. The reason for thinking about the SS card was the information that was required for a new driver’s license. Then, when filling out the form for a new SS card, it asked when the latest DL was issued and when it expired. Dear Hearts, they must trust old women more than some other folks: my DL does not expire until my birthday in 2031. Oh my! Well, that is only eight years from now, but then, the old woman will be 75 in May of this year, so by then it will add up to 83 years old. Hmm. Have heard of a woman who had to get her license renewed at 105, but wondering if my grandchildren will wonder when their mom has to accompany me to the bureau. Not that 105 would be all that old, but 85 is just the normal lifespan for the women of the last generation. All the great-grandmothers lived into their 90s. Oh well. Maybe by then we will be riding horses and carriages again.

 

Oh, and what brought about all the curiosity came from a strange deposit in my bank account. It seems the SS bureau had been somewhat lax in figuring how much the old woman was supposed to be getting for some time now. So, they made a deposit of nearly $400 to my checking account. Maybe they will send a letter to explain it eventually. The lady on the phone was quite helpful about it. If a letter does not arrive, it will not bother me.

 

Have two repairs that need to be done on the hen house doors. Nothing ever lasts forever, don’t ya see. Made one-half of the coop door on the front by myself, and that part is still working well. However, the metal door needs some reinforcement at the bottom. Guess it will take a bit of maneuvering to get it to be more stable and less likely to fall apart. Then the wind blew the who’dathoughtit out of the wire door on the side of the middle coop. Cracked that thing at the bottom smooth as ex-lax ever hoped to be. That will either take a couple of slats to put on either side of the crack or some metal pieces to hold it together good.

 

Saw Patty’s favorite plumber going down to her house a few minutes ago. These washing machines throw water out faster than some drains can deal with it. SO glad mine is pointed toward the east lots and uncommitted to any other drain lines. Grey water is not bad for the environment like some things. But that does not mean it is good enough for fruit trees. Such is life.

 

As soon as the weather decides it will be one way or the other—mostly warmer—these chicks will go to the west wing of the coops or green house. They can grow up in there about as well as anywhere. Plenty of room for nine chicks. Just thinking that these naked neck chicks certainly look different. First thought they called them turduckins. Had no need for anything that would paddle about in the water around here! Dogs are about enough. Brown, dirty tracks on the carpet runners in the kitchen. Sigh

 

Just went out to change the water for the dogs and hens. Lovely. Dead starling in the dogs’ water and plenty of poo in the hens’ water. Dadgumitall! Put square things on top of the water so the hens could get water and the dogs or starlings would not get in it to cool off or whatever. Didn’t work very well, but hey, nothing like trying.

 

Have thought about some things today and folks that need blessings. Patty had to have that plumber down today, and he did not want to charge her since all he had to do was take off an end cap. But he called in and asked and they said he had to charge for thirty minutes. He was a very nice man. Said he and wife had had some problems until he got counseling and found out that it was not up to him to “fix” everything. They are getting along a lot better. Wish that could work for all the folks that are having problems, but even counselors may not get to all the problems with folks who have been troubled for years and working on more than one marriage. God bless the children.

 

Remember those in pain tonight. Let us ask God for healing and peace of mind. May He bless those who fear for their lives as well. We have to ask for patience and common sense. Those things are not on a shelf for purchase.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.