Daily 5, Jan. 11, 2015 (Now with more chicken)

Today I woke up just after the crack of dawn, slammed some coffee and started getting ready for an early trip up to Sam's club to pick up supplies and make the rounds to get other supplies. At 6 a.m. it was a balmy 25 degrees and felt almost summery out.

At about 6:30 a.m. or so I decided to wake up my son. He was all snuggly warm under his blankets so I put my cold hands on his bare back to wake him up.  Oh was he mad!  He bolted upright and hands were swinging.  Then he grabbed the blankets and threw them over himself again.  It was *so* funny!  He's not a morning person.  He's a teenager in an eight year old's body. Has been that way for a few years.  I'm sure it's because he's a growing boy.

We got to Sam's during the business member hours so they have a few snacks and fruits out for breakfast.  My son grabbed two cookies and a tangerine, climbed into the cart and ate the tangerine.  Then he ate the two cookies and had a sugar high or something.  He was all relaxed in the cart, munching the second cookie with this dreamy look on his face and said "How *do* you know if your right or left handed?"  I laughed hard for a few minutes.  Too bad I couldn't get that particular gem on tape.

A new thermostat had to be purchased today. :-( The old one was turning on at 3 a.m. and heating the house up to 65 or so.  Even though that wasn't what it was programed to do. The new one seems to be working fine, so far.

I went out to the coop early afternoon and cleaned out some of the pine shavings and fluffed the other stuff and got it all pretty. I get that I keep the coop cleaner than the average person.  I'm a bit OCD that way.  I can't help it. Everyone appreciated it though. Everyone being the chickens.

I also added something new. Curtains for the nesting boxes.

Just a little something to help them "think spring"

This was some extra fabric I had.  At some point I was going to use it to make an apron but never got around to it. This was the perfect length.



Here's my sweet little Elvis, taking advantage of the spruced up nesting box. She tends spent a lot of time in the nesting boxes.  Even if she doesn't lay eggs. This time she was waiting for the egg to drop.  She was making this funny little sound.  I need to get it on video.  I can't quite describe it.  She sounds a bit like a dinosaur growling.  And heaven forbid you get close to her when she's laying an egg.  She lets you know to stay away.

I'm Blackie and I approve these curtains.

We put Blackie up there and she took her time checking it out before hopping out. She's my girl that lays blue eggs.  I think she approves of the renovations.

Brewster hanging out with his ladies.

I am pleased to say that our rooster has an official name that both DH and I agree fits him.  His name is Brewster.  As in beautiful rooster. Good, yes? :-)  My guy came up with it. 

My motley crew of girls and their man.

Now you can see No-Tailed Red in all her glory.  Her rear is mostly covered up with feathers now, but no perky tail feathers.  I worry that this is permanent. She sleeps in one of the nesting boxes.  I'm guessing it's to keep her back end warm.

White cheeks is one of the babies.  Brewster looks huge compared to her. I don't think she's too afraid of him though.

Red, the Queen Bee of the coop

 Here's my Red.  She's the one that shrews up a storm and lets us know when she's unhappy about something. I think she was wondering where the random flashes were coming from.

Let's go hang out at the beach.

Back in December I put that tote of sand in the corner.  They take sand baths and eat the grit.  Then kick a mess of chips into it. They hang out a lot over there. 

I do not approve of your shenanigans

Here's my Grandma P, who does not look amused. 

Don't forget to get my best side.

Close up of No-Tailed Red.  She's still kind of molt-ey.

This is my favorite photo of the day. 

During our travels it was decided  that we *must* have a cast iron skillet.  I don't remember how the conversation started but the important thing is now we have a cast iron skillet. I remember the BEST pork chops were cooked in my mom's cast iron skillet.

We got a Lodge brand skillet from Walmart and it was only $20.  It's got a good weight and I think it is a fantastic price. 

We've already made bacon and steaks in this baby.  I'd say it already looks older than one day. Tomorrow, we are making pork chops.  I can't wait!

The weather is supposed to be in the mid-30s F tomorrow. Not sure on sunshine.  I hope to get some spinning in.  I'm almost done with a bobbin and I have two other bobbins that I want to ply together.  I'm also daydreaming about practicing long draw.

Okay, time for today's 5.

1. I was able to spend some time with my girls, even if it was cleaning out the coop.  I can tell they don't know what to make out of it when I'm scooping stuff out but they appreciate my moving the food and water up on the nesting boxes while I shovel. There is something about the food being in a different place that makes them suddenly hungry and thirsty. Then one of them is usually walking in the food.  Silly girls!

2. My new skillet.  I've been wanting a cast iron skillet for a long time.

3. I got my coffee and half/half ratio just right this morning. Not so much creamer that I felt I was drinking milk, just enough that the coffee tasted kind of chocolatey.

4. The song "Fortune Days" by Glitch Mob. Several months ago I went into a techno/dance music phase and I haven't come out of it yet.  Probably because it helps to keep me motivated at work.

I was listening to this tonite when I was cleaning up the kitchen.  If the boys weren't home watching tv I probably would have cranked it up now that I have a speaker for my iPhone. :-D.  When I hear this particular song I can picture some chick out on a dance floor doing the really intense, "I'm dancing *hard*" thing with head twerks and severe jerks of her arms, to show just how hard she is into the song. I'm chuckling now just thinking about it.  Some people are just way too intense with the dance music.

5. I discovered "Stoked" on Hulu last night.  Not that I have any desire to watch it, but at least I know it's there and not gone **foreeevvvvveeeer* It going off Netflix threw us into a bit of a tizzy because it's one of the few clean cartoons that we don't have to worry about our son watching and picking up bad habits or getting sassy.  He does tend to repeat some of the phrases but it's not anything terrible.  Like "It's all good, guy"  Actually, I tend to use that one myself now.