Outside, class, Sam’s shearing, Victoria

I worked yesterday on getting the chicks – now more than half-grown – into the kennel/yard we are providing for them. It worked out pretty well. After Mama and I got the chickens out of the cage and put them in the yard, I got the cage out of the little coop and started on putting up the framing and wire I had cut to fill the opening between the working are in the building and the actual coop area. It looks okay for now but I need to make a proper door to close the center of the opening that gives us access to the roosting area. For now, we have the little half door that was originally installed by Grandpa with a piece of a hog panel above it. Together they close off the access to the roost area. We use a small knife door I installed in the building to allow the chickens into the yard. Last night, Mama and I had to catch the chickens and put them onto the roost for the night. This morning, we opened the door to the yard and let them figure it out for themselves. We’ll see how that woks out, but if they exit on their own, they should be able to enter on their own tonight. If, not, we will help them get back onto the roost tonight. It may take several times to get the routine down, but they will eventually get it all worked out.

The young chickens thoroughly enjoyed being on the ground last night. Scratching, dusting, flattening themselves to the moist ground to cool off. It was fun to watch as I build the fence that will enclose the small coop. Setting the building where we did requires me to expand the area that encloses the coops. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time but have not seen as necessary. For all these years we have used a temporary fence on that side of the yard, but I had to remove that when Grandpa and I moved the building last week. Now I can see exactly were the fence needs to be places – complete with a seven-foot iron gate. It should look nice when we have it done and be far more serviceable than what we have put up with for years. This fence placement will use the last of the iron gates mama and I bought from a friend almost four years ago. Better late than never.

 I am scheduled to teach an online class tomorrow morning. It is one of the four-hour classes we are starting to offer. There is some confusion as to whether or not I will be allowed into the building since we are strictly limiting the number of people in the building to no more than 12 at any time. I am confident things will be worked out but for now I am still waiting for permission to report to the office tomorrow morning. I cannot present the class from here so I am hopeful they will allow me to run the class from the office. If not, someone else will have to present the class. I will work within the parameters I am given and do all I can within those guidelines, but there are definite limits to my abilities while I am working from home. Next week we have an in-person class scheduled for five people. That should be fun to squeeze into the mix.

Mama and I loaded Samson into the Sequoia this morning so he could be taken to the groomers. It was not difficult to get him into the vehicle. Getting him out without hurting him may be an issue, but I am sure they will figure it out. I feel sorry for the groomer. Sam is a filthy mess with a mane of tangled, thick, dirty hair from head to tail. He smells like the wet dog he personifies. Whatever they are charging to shave him down is worth it. He will be their “loss leader” for the day. They will have to re-coop their time on some other cleaner, smaller dogs. Mama feels that this is the last time we will do this with Sam. I am not certain she is right about that, but we have made preparations for his potential replacement in the event of his demise. My gut tells me he will hang on for several years to come – especially under Mama’s watchful care.

Victoria leaves for Brittany’s this morning. I pray they will be a blessing to each other. Victoria loves the twins and that feeling is enthusiastically reciprocated. We have not spent enough time around Audrey for her to get attached as much as the twins are to Mama and Victoria, but that will cone eventually. It is a six-hour trip to Brittany’s and Victoria had made the trip several times on her own, so there is not the angst associated with this travel as with some other less familiar destinations. However, there is still an issue with Victoria’s car that no one has been able to diagnose and resolve. At odd times, the car will struggle to start. It has always eventually started, but at some point, that may fail completely. For now, Victoria just deals with it and it has worked out well enough. It would be fantastic if Brittany could introduce Victoria to an eligible Christian serviceman while she is there.

But I do not think anyone is looking that direction.