Good-bye Cabbage, and Houdini Chickens

We free-range our chickens, just like we free-range our kids.  It's something I really believe in, but I've just found out that they've been eating my little cabbage and broccoli plants from the garden.  The chickens, not the kids.  They've also been laying fewer eggs, which makes no sense since the weather is gorgeous and they're eating like pigs.  Again, the chickens, not the kids.

So, Richard and I came up with a plan of attack.  We wouldn't free-range them anymore, at least not until they quit eating my produce and stepped it up a notch with the egg laying.

Now, our coop is actually an old baby barn.  There's a heavy outside door, and a lighter inside door.  They both shut pretty snugly.  This afternoon I glanced out the window and there the chickens were, pecking away at my plants.  What?!  How?!  Obviously, someone must have let them out.

I rallied up the troops and asked them who had opened the doors to let the chickens out.  Nobody did it.  Wasn't us.  Then how? asked I.

Simple.  According to my eldest, all thirteen chickens huddled together, leaned their collective weight against the barn door and shoved it open.  Just like a scene from Chicken Run.

They did it again today.  Smart chickens.

Tired

Summer is here, and I'm tired.  There.  I said it.  I admit that I am not super-mom or super-woman or super-cook or anything else super.  I am behind in school, I am grouchy with the kids and I can't seem to get myself in any gear other than slow.  Maybe it's the fault of lingering on the brink of healthy and sick, or perhaps being back into the swing of lone-parenting that happens on summer weekends.  Perhaps it's attending three births in as many weeks.  It might even just be the normal wear and tear of being the adult in this place.

Richard is cramming as many work hours as possible into the short amount of time left before his surgery.  I'm used to dealing with the kids, but doing it alone at night is a bit more taxing.  I celebrated a successful weekend of single-momness by changing my Facebook status to reflect how we all made it through in one piece.  A real-life single mom took offense, telling me that that was her life day in and day out for the last five years.  In short, shove it, Sister, I don't know how good I have it to be part of a full family with a supportive partner.  Well, yes, I do.  It makes it all the more difficult when the work weekends happen.  I don't think it means I need to feel any less thankful for getting the kids and myself through it without a trip to the ER.  Shove it, Sister, indeed.

Anyway.  Nuff whining.  I am not fit to be around this evening.

It Ain't Pretty....

...but it's borderline acceptable.

With Richard needing extra help around the yard this summer, the job fell on me.

I don't mind.  I just hope he doesn't.

I've never successfully weed-whacked before.  I've never successfully whipper-snipped, either.

So, I think that for a first time, I did okay.

After a half-hour, my legs were unsteady, I was sweating, my

hands shook like jelly and my muscles felt like I'd just bench pressed a water buffalo.

Richard (who has very high standards that he can't keep from enforcing) intentionally

 refused to look my way, which is

exactly what a man who wishes to stay married ought to do.

I'm still waiting for the shaking to stop.

Okay, so the job isn't to professional standards.  Under the trampoline kind of reminds me 

of the time Eva gave herself a haircut.  

Let's be honest, though.  Trimming isn't about pretty.  It's about destroying any potential

breeding grounds for alders and copperhead snakes.  

I think I succeeded at that.

Considering all I had to work with was a gas powered stick and a spinning piece of nylon string, 

I think I did just fine.

Sick

Poor June-Bug (wow, Gen hasn't been called that in ages!  That was my mom's pet name for the little rascal.)

Oh, wait.  First a story, while we're on the topic of June bugs.  Months ago, Richard rented a movie for date night.  It was about a girl and a boy and his best friend, and they all go skiing.  Romantic, right?  Well, it was until the boyfriend got eaten by a pack of wolves, and then his friend slides off to the rescue and he gets eaten by a pack of wolves.  Anyway, since that date night I've been scared of going outside by myself after dark.  You know, in case a wolf eats me.

Last night, with Rich gone to Memramcook to work, I realized at 10:30 pm that I forgot to lock the chicken coop.  Next to being eaten by a wolf, having the chickens eaten by a fox or coon or skunk is a pretty real possibility.  I put on my big girl panties and my gum rubbers and left the safety of the house to go take care of the chickens.  My muscles were tense and my eyes scanned the lawn for any signs of carnivores.  And then!  Then, I was viciously attacked by a June bug!  It whammed into my head, got it's sticky legs caught in my hair and met it's death in a flurry of screaming and hands batting.  Now I need to add one more thing to my irrational fears.

Anyway, poor Gen.  She's sick.  I'm sick.  We're all going to get sick.

But at least we're not going to be eaten by wolves.  As long as we stay inside.  Where it's safe.

Studying

I've recently gone "back to school" to become a Certified Women's Health Educator.  It's pretty intense, but I love what I'm studying so I don't really mind.  Last week's lesson was on nutrients.  I spent a good 15 hours on the lesson.  Considering that's on top of everything else, it has been somewhat tiring.

I never learned to study properly in high school, and therefore had a very difficult time in CEGEP.  I studied like a mad woman during my electrolysis course, and it paid off big time with a high nineties average.  I was living in Ontario for that, though, with Maddie and Richard in New Brunswick.  There were no distractions!  Maybe I should move out for the year?  Not a chance!

So, just for interest's sake, here's my plan of attack, study-style:

I read the information in the course book, taking notes all the while and highlighting important stuff.  This is difficult, because it's all important and I need to remind myself to use good judgement.  I then answer all the study questions on pen & paper by re-reading.  I review my notes, which usually involves yelling down the stairs, "Hey, Richard!  Did you know your liver can only process 266 mcg of folic acid per day and that any extra can be detrimental to your health and cause cancer?!"  I attend the tele-class, which is again mostly the same info.  I participate in the student forums and discuss points I may not have completely understood.  I then type up my study questions and further cement it in my mind.  Next comes the Applied Learning Project, which takes hours of research and honing.  Then, I happily turn the page and go on to the next lesson.

Lucky for me, SIL K (silk?) has been watching the younguns an afternoon per week, and Richard has promised me some free babysitting.  Schoolwork is so much more effective without the kids underfoot.

My intent is to hold workshops and mini-courses for women's health.  I'm also wanting to fashion a childbirth class that focuses on whole-being natural health.  There is nothing like that in our area, and it is sorely needed.

Wish me luck!

Our House, On The Corner of Our Street (Not Really)

We moved out of our home for a few months.  Not because we wanted to, really, but because

there was no way we could function in the dead of winter with no running water, no kitchen and 

gaping holes in the walls.  Our contractor extraordinaire tore apart our home and 

put it back together.  Correctly.  We've never lived in a correctly

built house before.  It's kind of nice.  I highly recommend it

Here's our new living room!

 Our new rec room in the basement!

Maddie's new room!

 Our bathroom!  Just a note, that tub is so comfortable.  I think we've

had more baths in the last 3 weeks than all year.

Kitchen!!  It's functional!  It works!  Yay!

Our new dining area!

It's not all fun and games, this new house.  We're still getting used to it.  

This morning, in a fog of sleepiness,  I tried to open the blackboard wall to get some 

milk.  That used to be the fridge.  Now it's a black board wall!!  

Yep, it takes some getting used to.  But we're willing to do that.  

I have a functional kitchen!!!

And, Blink, a Month Has Passed

Forrest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get."  So true. 

Personally, I think life is more like those crazy rollercoasters.  You get in, coast along uphill thinking it's not nearly as scary as they say.  Then, WHAM! Suddenly you're dropping at the speed of light, turning sharp to the left, to the right, fake left, right some more.  Your little car rattles and heaves and just barely makes the loop-de-loop.  Luckily the power of inertia keeps the loose bolts pressed against the floor.  You slow down to a stop and you pray thanks to God that you made it in one piece, only to have the ride flung into reverse.  Finally, the ride ends and you step out on shaky legs, unsure of where your lunch landed but definetly sure that you never want to sit in those sticky seats again.

Yes, so, a month has passed since my last blog post and life has been good.  Really. 

We underwent some major renovations to the house, and after a 2 month stint in a rental house, we are back home.  It was rather nice not to have internet, a car or even regular phone service. I missed surprisingly little on Facebook, as it turns out. 

The house is awesome.  I will post pics.

I attended a beautiful homebirth in early February.  A handsome baby boy, born in the wee hours of the morning, following a crazy snowstorm.  The birth team almost didn't make it.

Weasels ate our rabbits.  The rooster is plotting to kill me.  My bees made it through the winter!  The garden is shaping up in my head.  Homesteading is going great.

Maddie and Richard both turned a year older. 

I have enrolled in courses to become a Certified Women's Health Educator.  I can't wait to start.  It's been almost 15 years since I've been in school, so it will be tough to get back into the swing of things.  The online courses will give some freedom, but will require a lot more discipline.  We'll figure it out.

Richard is awaiting surgery.  He'll be getting brand-spanking new hips.  I've decided that I can't ever top a birthday gift like that, so he'll be getting ties from now on.

There's more, I'm sure, but right now I'm white-knuckled on the roller car's safety bar.