Paralell Universe

Okay, This morning I woke up and felt like someone had drugged me. And I woke up at 6:45. Here it is 2 hours later and I STILL feel like I was drugged. But I jumped up and ran in here. The kids LEAVE at 6:30.

They were gone. Wow. BR got them up, and they dressed themselves and left. (well crap. no telling WHAT they are wearing, and I bet they didnt pack their lunches. )

So, I ran to the baby chicks. I had one that I was sure would be dead this morning, I barely kept it alive all day yesterday, and I would have to take care of it. I wanted to do it before I had to deal with Bow outside.

It was gone.

So, I reached in to get out the feeder and waterer, they have to be filled twice a day.

They were full.

I am really starting to think that I woke up in someone elses house.

So, I venture into the kitchen. the kids did get some of the brownies Brett made last night. (they didnt get cool till after their bedtime). I was glad of that. BR and I discussed it yesterday that I needed to remember to let them have some.

I just really cant belive that the kids are up, gone, and the chickens watered, fed, and disposed of.
Is this really the same family that I just had to tell 7 times last night to take out the trash?
The same kid who lost his backpack on Friday evening by getting out of the truck, heading in the house, being hollered at to 'go long' and throwing down said backback, catching the ball and not remmebering where he put it until 7:30 last night?

Then I walked back into the living room and there sits Bretts homework from last night.

Its my house alright.

Oh and Come to find out, (Rayley just started screaming at me that 'the baby is calling you') the sick chick from last night pulled through! I dont know if it will make it. But its at least standing up, and its neck is not quite as upside down. I dont know what happened. Its just one of those things that does happen. But I spent all day yesterday getting it water and making sure it stayed warm. I really expected it to die during the night.

Speaking of the chickens. We went to the livestock auction on Saturday. Went and hooked up the trailer. Aired up the tires, and drove the 40 miles. We got there and all they ran through was some goats.
I sat in the areana and just kept whispering to BR "I cant belive this." "I would have made a freakin fortune"
He just kept agreeing with me.

See I used to have a goat farm. RIght before I sold it, I had 125 nannies. I had just made a sale of my raised up meat stock (billys I raised up to sell for meat or breeding) I was finally at the point of turning it into a profitable operation. ANd I had some beautiful goats.
It all started off with about 10 foundation nannies my grandfather had, plus my 10. I spent a year or so breeding them, and got more nannies. I also got billies. I would cull out the ones to sell, and kept breeding. My last kidding had put me over the 100 number. When all of them kidded I would have raised them up, taken to sale the ones I wanted to and made some money.

They were stocky, and solid. great for meat. And my foundation nannies were my babies. I worked with them all day every day. WIth the boys right along side me. BRett and Matt were under 3. But they could throw a goat pretty good. THey helped me pull goats when a birth was difficult and burry a goat that we had to put down. And they helped me feed them. I bet I raised 50 on a bottle. At one time I had 21 on bottles. It was hard work. But fun.

ANyway, these goats they were selling were half the size of mine, and not near as good looking. And going for 40 bucks each.

Of course I refuse to get in the goat buisiness again. When I sold my nannies, all but one of which I had helped give birth to, or held the minute they were born, I swore I wouldnt touch another. I just cant do it. It still breaks my heart to think of it.

ANd we had went for pigs and chickens. Unfortunatly, noone is selling pigs. there were NONE. even the auctionier asked if anyone had any pigs to PLEASE bring them to sale.
and the only chickens that went through were some month old ones that all looked to be roosters. and only 18 at that.

So we spent the next 2 hours in the parking lot calling every feed store in a 200 mile radius looking for pigs. None.

Then we drove to get me some chickens. I picked out 4 Americana's (I am going to mispell these names, cause I am too lazy to look them up), 4 buff orpengtons, 4 Rhode Island Reds, 4 Leghorns, 4 production reds.

the Americananas lay green eggs. We brought them home and then got ready to go to my great uncle geralds presentation at the Masonic Lodge. He was getting a certificate for 50 years of teaching. Not just 50 years of being IN the lodge. But for knowing all the work, and being able to teach the work and being certified to teach it, for 50 years. Of course he was eligable for this last year. But it took an act of congress to get it for him. There are only like 12 of these given out in the entire state of Texas. Not a year. But in total. And there are ... I swear he said 97,000 masons in Texas... Thats a hell of an honor.

We had a good time.

Then it was back home to the chicks. Did I tell you they were in my living room? Yep. See theyhave to stay between 95* and 100* for the first week. Then you lower the temp by 5* every week until you hit 70, then and only then do they get to go outside.

All was well the first day. Then the second day I got up adn one was not doing well. it had gotten trampled, or something, and was off to the side, cold and couldnt stand. So, I the only thing I could think of. I put it in my bra to keep it warm. It perked up for a little while, and I was able to get some sugar water down it. But eventually it died.
Then when I woke up yesterday I had one that was about the same way. Except its neck was turned around like the excorcist too. I made sure it got water all day. This one was warm, I fiqure it just got smushed, so I put it in its own box in the brooder and every once in a while you would hear it chirping like crazy. You can hear it over all the rest. And if I dont jump up immediatly, Rayley will come screaming to me "YOUR BABY NEEDS YOU!" and she doesnt shut up until you go and deal with it. I would give it water and it would calm down.

She even showed up in my room at like 2am. said "your baby needs you". This is the one that I fiqured was dead and gone this morning.

But shortly after she got up and went over there, she heard it. Louder than all the others. and I went and looked. sure enough, it was walking again, but had gotten its head caught in the wire and another was on top of it. So I rescued it. its still a little wonky, head off to one side, and not totally stable, but doing much better.

Oh and we started baseball. Well, we have our team. We will start practice tonight. Brett wants to play center field. Matt wants to play left. Nothing like shooting for the stars. LOL

We have 3 practices a week. tuesday nights is at 7:30. Which for me means we wont get home till nigh on 9:30. If we are lucky. Thats over an hour past their bedtime. Cause even once baseball is over, you still have to drive the 20 miles home.

When they asked who wanted to be team mom, I kept my mouth shut. even with my kids pointing at me and saying "she does it every year". then another mom nominated me.

I am pretty sure I also got nominated to keep the books. That should be a hoot with Bowdrie. he is a handful when I aint doing something. But when you keep the books you literly have to COUNT every pitch. you have to know EVERY play. And when you are as scatterbrained as me, that takes ALOT of concentration.



Oh and we have a new phenomemon at my house. Apparently Bow's gut is too big, or his legs are too short, or something, but his diapers wont stay 'done'. He isnt a fat baby. but he does have a gut. But you put a diaper on him, and shortly there after the tabs that stick together are attached to each other, and the diaper itself is hanging down between his legs. It looks like a lobster tail. And offers NO protection at all. I have taken to putting them on him backwards. they stay a little better. But then he is always mooning you with one cheek or the other. Plus, diapers are set up nowdays to catch what they are supposed to catch. THe front catches liqueds, the back... other stuff. so when you put the front on the back, and the back on the front you run into problems. The back still works well on the front. but the front is NOT made to go on the back.

He would prefer I leave the diapers like they are supposed to be. That way, when they come loose he can grab hold and lead the way. I am afraid he is gona pull it plumb off one day.

We were supposed to finish the hog pen this weekend. But BR walked out there and said "too bad we didnt just build the coop bigger and put a 'room' on there for the hogs. I agree'd. and next thing I know, we are cutting the hog wire between the coop and the pen and putting tin up as a wall. It was over in about an hour and a half. Versus us having to build a frame, dig post holes, make everything level, and put tin on top.
Sometimes being lazy pays off. We did get the wire finished on the coop and are all set for these chirping bitties to grow feathers and get their stinkin rears outside.
I do want some pigs out there first though. I hope it will help with the preditor control. I KNOW we will have preditor problems. We dont have coons here at the house, but possums, snakes, and coyotes are prolific. And the coons will come. I need a web cam out there or something. LOL