Stick a Fork in Me!

 Stick a Fork in Me!

 

Yep, done deal! Living room vacuumed and mopped, kitchen rearranged, mopped, and the rugs washed, hall mopped, dog food made (three pounds of ground turkey cooked along with about four cups of rice to mix with veggies), and a 20-pound sack of rice rearranged so it can be set up without spilling all over the kitchen. Now a plastic bucket with lid is going to be called for in order to store that stuff (the rice, not the dog food). Thinking that Lowe’s might have the bucket(s) with lids. Not sure how many it would take for all that rice. This was a purchase last year when it looked as if we might be totally having to make all our foods last until whenever this covid mess is over—if that ever actually happens. Anyway, this kind of rice is definitely not Uncle Ben’s instant rice. Learning to cook real rice is another skill to re-learn.

 

Was SO happy last night to discover THREE of the Black-laced Wyandottes had decided to roost in the little coop. Took the other two in there and set them on a shelf. They found their happy place on the other side with the three sweet girls. One more night to see if the other two will make the change voluntarily, and then the Marans get to find out what it is like to change coops. Oh boy! They are not anything like the Wyandottes. They are just a bit more standoffish. But at least they don’t run from me. Have all the feeders in the little coop now, so that may entice all the hens to that coop. Only have water bowls in the middle coop and none in the green house section. When it starts freezing, the electric heater—a flat screen looking thing that can’t start any fires—and the heated water bowl will go inside the little coop. It is small enough to stay warm in there with mostly just the body heat of the hens, but nothing was warm enough back in February! That was a mess and a half! Hope we don’t have any more of that stuff. The dogs can stay warm with me here in the house, but it would be pretty bad without electricity for the hens. None of them got frost bite or anything when it was so bad, but it certainly could have happened quickly.

 

Not sure how the FreshPet people make this dog food in these six-pound rolls, but it reminds me a bit of spam in that it doesn’t really look like meat. The dogs are happy enough to eat it, however. They are not as fond of the chicken as they are the beef, but as long as they eat it, one leg is both the same. [Weird expression used as long as memory!] Anyway, Lance suggested making the turkey and rice combination with veggies, so we will see what happens. It probably will taste a bit bland since it did not get any spices or salt included in the cooking process. But maybe the dogs won’t care. Could always cook up some bacon and use the grease to flavor it. That would definitely give it some taste.

 

Just put the new, cozy blanket into the washer to wash. It is not dirty, but dang that smell! Oooh! Just hoping it stands up to being washed and dried—even on mild temperatures. Anything made in another country always makes me wonder about what has been running across their floors and into the fabric piles. Yes, paranoia runs rampant around here!

 

Went out to see if any eggs were in the nests. Already brought in a couple this morning, but one more was waiting for me. The combination of molting and the lack of daylight makes a difference in how many eggs are produced. Won’t gripe. They are still the best eggs ever! These hens get fed well and have lots of fresh grass and whatever else they can find over about a quarter of an acre. They are, generally speaking, happy hens. And the old woman is a happy hen mother. And no, John Pollard, a rooster is not necessary to keep the girls happy. Ahem

 

Ok, now have served some peas, carrots, ground turkey, and rice to my two wolves—er, dogs. They ate every smidgeon. Guess it was not too bad if they did not leave any. On the other hand, they did not have any dry food all day either. We will see how this works out.

 

Made myself a salad for din-upper. Looked for the sour cream in the fridge and did not find any. KNOW that it was on my list. Hmm. Who knows if it made it to the grocery store list! That’s what one gets for not double checking both the list and the stuff received. Oh well. Not going to suffer for lack of sour cream. My first list included two heads of cabbage—one for me and one for the hens, but you know who forgot that when making the list for Market Street. Oh well.

 

Read on one of those news sites that Bernie Sanders was still objecting to any domestic spending bill that did not include a way to lower the cost of prescription medications. Don’t care for the man, but that is one thing we could agree on. Almost any kind of health care in our country is out of sight too expensive. Dread paying the co-pay on this procedure in November. Think the least it will be is about $400 for one time shot. Know he is the expert and should know what he is doing, but it just amazes me that he will be paid that much by Medicare and then that much more by yours truly. Guess it could be worse. Could live the rest of my life in pain the way Granddad Pollard did. Don’t know how he stood it.

 

Think Danny Pollard’s youngest son is now back home from the hospital. Jacob has a bad ear infection and sinus infection. The poor kid just can’t get a break! Not sure how Dylan is doing or if he is still in ICU. Pretty bad to have two sons and both of them sicker than a dog. Please pray for both of them.

 

Tomorrow is Monday. Such fun. Those who work will probably not be looking forward to another work week. Not sure if that ever bothered me with my jobs, but know that Lewis sometimes dreaded it. He seemed to always work such horrible hours. He called it working from can ‘til can’t. The only days that really worried me were the ones where he was sent out into the boon docks somewhere with a map and his tools. He never knew what he would find.

 

Well, it’s supposed to get colder and wetter this week. Hope everyone is ready for it. Fall seems to last about three days before we get gusts of higher winds and anything from rain to hail to sleet. Such fun is Texas weather! But there is no other place on earth quite like it. May you all remember that God created this ol’ world—including Texas. Whatever is in His plan will work out for the best.

 

Rest and be happy, my friends. You are loved.