Louisa called a little while ago.  She sounded very chipper, told me about how she went with daddy to the hospital to watch them change his bandages and took pictures so she can show everyone at home.  I talked to Chris, too.  He sounded in good spirits, thanks to the pain meds.  He's just on codeine now, not morphine, and he said they both slept ( Read more... )

He was stirring a batch of rocket fuel and it ignited-something like that, anyway.  I wasn't there, as he and Louisa are in the U.P. and I am at home.  He has second degree burns all over his left hand (and he's left handed), on the back of his right hand, and singed his beard and hair.  He has to go back to the hospital tomorrow to get the ( Read more... )

The eggs were supposed to hatch on Friday.  Friday came, and nothing.  Saturday, nothing.  Sunday, nothing.  I was trying to decide if I should toss them today or wait one more day, but this morning one had pipped the shell!.  It's been working really hard all day and should be out any time now.  The other one isn't doing anything.  If it still ( Read more... )

Today is day 27 of incubation.  If all goes well, they should hatch tomorrow.  We're down to 2, because 1 died around day 13.  That means if another one dies, we'll have only 1 and it will have to wear a duck diaper and live in the house, at least until the next batch hatches and grows up.

I decided I want some ducks.  Since I can't find anywhere to buy fewer than 15 of the breed I want, I have borrowed an incubator and bought eggs on Ebay.  They arrived last week, and today is day 9 of incubation (they should hatch on day 28).  Candled them on Friday night, and could only see veins (an indication of a viable embryo) in 1 of the 6.  ( Read more... )

After months of feeding and caring for the chickens but getting no eggs, one of them has finally started laying!  I'm pretty sure it's Lucy, one of our mixed-breed birds, and the youngest of the flock.  Unfortunately, she's not laying them in the nest box, but in a spot that I can't easily reach.  I have to send Louisa in after them.  Of course she ( Read more... )

Last night, after the kids were asleep and the chickens locked in for the night.  I decided to sacrifice an hour of sleep in favor a little me-time.  What did I do?  I spun on a drop-spindle and watched What Not to Wear.  I cannot for the life of me figure out why I enjoy that show.  It goes against EVERYTHING I believe in.  I Started watching it ( Read more... )

The AP moms' group I belong to is having a holiday photo shoot next week.  We were supposed to choose time slots, so I picked the last one and mentioned that it is because I want to bring Chris so we could do a family picture.  It never occurred to me that there might be a problem with that, but I just got an email from the organizer saying that ( Read more... )

Morganna was walking around with a doll, rocking and singing the lulabye she made up (hush-ee, hush-ee, hush-ee).  "Oh!" I cooed, "Isn't she sweet!"  When she was done rocking and singing, she tried to put the baby down the laundry chute.