"An egg a day keeps Colonel Sanders away", our good neighbor who took care of our place and fed our animals while we were visiting the kids posted this sign up in our chicken coop. It is a corny saying, but it made us smile. Perhaps he was prompted to write something funny because he saved the life of our bantam rooster when he became the victim of a freak accident. We have a double twine rope knotted and looped hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the coop. We use it to elevate the roost when we clean the floor. Jim arrived one day to do chores and found the bantam rooster hanging upside down by one leg from the rope. The little guy was scared to death, not only due to his precarious upside down position but because he was unable to move and was just barely out of reach of the big Americana rooster that probably didn't want him showing off to his girls. Jim cut him down and held him for a while; he said his heart was beating so fast, because the big rooster wanted to get him. It is a funny farm story because the little critter was saved. I imagine that the little guy became entangled simply flying from the roost to the nesting box, or who knows what happened inside our chicken coop. Our Americana hen prefers this Bantam rooster to the big guy, so who knows what shenanigans those two engage in and what aerobatics are required to elude the king pin's rage. Maybe we should put the game camera up in the coop for a little hen house video.We had a good visit with the kids. The little boys are at a delightful age; the eldest nearly three is talking quite clearly now and showing off his advanced intellect. I was impressed with his ability to navigate when driving, something he hasn't inherited from me. He knows which direction right or left and can express it to his mother when asked which way to turn the car toward Fairbanks or North Pole. He never forgets a thing and has the greatest imagination. The one year old now walks up and down the hallways, in the family, living room, and kitchen, alongside the walls and furniture or pushing toys. He amuses himself easily and has the greatest babble and laugh. He has a little of his great grandpa Edwin in him as he always had a twinkle in his eye too. His big brother has some control issues and likes to take away toys that he doesn't think he should play with. I believe the little man has learned quite effectively how to wail to the authorities to get it back.
We celebrated the boys combined birthdays with a party at Chena Hot Springs along with friends and close family. Everyone had a good time. We tagged along to swim lessons, library story time, Lowe's toddler craft, and the Ice Fest. I had a nice afternoon breaking trails in the yard with the toddler through the fresh 14" of powder. And grandpa and I took the toddler to Taco King where he chowed down a big plate of rice and beans. I enjoyed a very nice sled dog ride with a close friend of the kids. He has been mushing for about two years. It was great.
Then I got sick. Sick like puking eight or nine times within three hours. My dear daughter put numerous hot towels on my stomach and back to relax my contractions or I may have continued. It must have been strange for her to see her old Ma in such a delicate state, but I felt like I would die. She commented to me toward the end that it was like having a baby; I had to disagree I never felt that bad having her. That was Thursday, today is Tuesday, and finally this afternoon I am beginning to feel normal again. Luckily, the flu spaced itself out with bearable moments in between bouts of nausea, so that I could continue to enjoy some activities the last two days of our stay and I made the trip home, even though it was unpleasant, without vomiting or pooping on myself. Yuk.
Love, mom
