I Am Grateful

Yesterday, I went to town and picked up Lorraine, then off the The Centre to do the programs. Lorraine has been helping me with it the last while. I do the computer work, then I print them out. Lorraine uses the big cutter to cut the sheets in half, then together we put one of each into each folder with a donation envelope in each. I would really like someone to volunteer to take the whole job over, but even having help assembling them is a very big help which I totally appreciate. Once finished the programs, I drove Lorraine back home, then went a couple blocks further to pick up 2 chickens and a chicken tractor. A woman I've known a bit for 2 or 3 years has for some time now (years) had chickens in her yard within the city limits. She's gotten away with it until recently when a rooster crowed and someone complained. Well, Sam is the kind of gal who will fight City Hall, and she actually won!! Thanks to Sam, people in the city limits here are now allowed to have a few hens, but no rooster. The final say on the number of hens allowed has not yet been said, but will be soon I'm sure. She had to get rid of her roosters real fast though, or be heavily fined. So, she gave me one rooster and a hen to keep him company. They are Ameraucana cross, the ones nicknamed 'Easter Egg Chickens' because they lay green to bluish eggs. I used to have some before. I got rid of all my chickens over a year ago now, because eagles were steeling them all, but now it will be more difficult for them to do such a thing.

You may be wondering what in the world a chicken tractor is. Wikipedia says "A chicken tractor, sometimes called an ark, is a movable chicken coop lacking a floor. Chicken tractors may also be used to house other species of poultry, but the moniker is most often applied to chicken enclosures. It is usually of light construction so one person can drag it around the yard, and it may have a couple of wheels at one end to make this job easier. The most common shape for smaller chicken tractors is an A-frame, though any number of designs see prolific use." They also show a picture of one. The one I was given is very different, but the same basic idea. I'll take some pics tomorrow of the one I have. I got my friend Carol to come help, it took Sam, Carol and myself to pick this up and put it into the truck, then Carol and I went to Tim Horton's for tea and a good visit. When I got home, I had to unload the Chicken Tractor by myself which was no big problem, I pulled it most of the way out then set down the light end, then went up, grabbed the heavy end and pulled it to the side until it simply fell off the truck onto the ground. I can move it around a few feet here and there by myself, but if it needs to go a long distance or be loaded in the truck, I will for sure need some help.

The rooster is named Lily as they were hoping it would be a hen and turned out to be rooster. The hen is named Speckles. They were a little girl's pets, so it was sad to take them, but the one she loves most is Lily and the city says he has to go. At least she knows me a bit and knows I love animals so will give them a good home, and I told her she can come out any time to visit Lily and Speckles.

Today I went to TOPS as usual on Thursday morning. I didn't loose, or gain this week, so while it sure could have been better, it also could have been worse. After that, I went to drop off a donation at one of the thrift stores and ended up buying a bag full, haha. $2 bag sale and I got lots into the bag. 1 light wool jacket with fringes, 1 light denim jacket, a denim blouse and 2 other blouses, so place mats, napkins, doilies, stuff like that. Yup, all for $2.

After tea with the ladies from TOPS, I went to visit Mom for the afternoon. We drove back to the town I'd just been in for the morning, as Mom wanted to do some shopping there, then we drove cross country to another town we like to visit. There is a Home Restaurant there where we had our dinner, then drove back to Mom's and went for a nice little walk.

I made the half hour drive back to my place where I changed my shirt and wrote a fast story for Quilly's Three Word Thursday, then drove in to town to my Camera Club meeting for the evening. Home in time to watch ER. Helped Reba write her 3 Woof Thursday story, and here I am doing some updating on my blog.

Of all the bed frames there are, I only care about one... mine. I will soon be heading off to mine for a few hours before I must get up and off again.

I need a cup of tea. BRB.

Ahhhhh, I'm back.

- I am grateful for this wonderful cup of tea.
- I am grateful for Lily & Speckles.
- I am grateful for the bag of chicken feed I bought today.
- I am grateful for the chicken tractor that will keep my chickens safe while they are able to 'free range'.
- I am grateful for all my friends, real and imagined. (haha)
- I am grateful for my computer and the internet.
- I am grateful to Lorraine for helping me with the Sunday Programs at The Centre.
- I am grateful for the eggs Speckles will soon be giving me. I have sO missed fresh, good quality eggs.
- I am grateful for the 'new' clothes etc that I bought today.
- I am grateful for $2 bag sales.
- I am grateful my Mom is still alive and in pretty good shape at 85 years of age.
- I am grateful to be able to run around the country like I do on days like Thursday.
- I am grateful I made it to the Camera Club meeting this evening. I've missed 2 or 3 of them due to being at Mom's and not able to make it back in time.