They are so cute!

I can't believe it's been a week now. I'm still just as fascinated by my chooks as the day we brought them home. Actually, I think I'm more fascinated with them now. They have grown so much in just the past week, Bessie is almost as tall as my knee and they are starting to peep less and bock more.
They even talk to me when I'm with them, I just wish I knew what they were saying.

Bathing beauties. (Ms. Fisher in front, Alexis in back)

They are making themselves at home and that makes my heart glad. They like to rearrange their bedding after I clean and fluff it everyday. They seem to have a schedule worked out, I get chirped at if I'm late in the morning and they have enforced nap time at around 1100 every morning. Kate calls them to roost and Ms. Fisher rounds up any stragglers.

Get on the perch! (Clockwise from top left: Kate, Dot, Bessie, Fisher, Alexis)

All 5 of them will eat out of my hand and Kate (the gray one) will follow me around as I tidy up until I sit down with her snack. It's funny to see her avoid me and chase me at the same time. Earlier today she was pecking at something and I touched her to shoo her away and she didn't even flinch. Maybe she will let me pet her soon.

Got snacks? ( Kate facing you.)

Life is good here with the chickens. Now I'm off to study them some more! 

Our chicken coop

We have our pretty little chooks in the side yard. It's about 480 square feet (400' for the chooks to run around in, the other 80' or so has the turtle pond). It's surrounded on 2 sides by a 6' high corrugated steel fence. One of the other sides is the house and the final side is chain link facing the rest of the back yard. We enclosed the entire top of it in deer netting at 7'-8' feet high so nothing can get in from above. The bottom of the steel is buried several inches deep to keep out diggers.
The netting is the only new feature back there because it used to be our garden, then we had to move the turtle pond there and they ate most of the plants. So far the birds have stayed away from the pond, but it should be ok if they want to go in, there's lots of ledges for them to stand on and Freya, Odin, and the others won't hurt them.

Nice and cozy

The chooks house is 6' high, 6' wide, and 5' deep. It started out open on three sides, but we've added shade cloth to the sides for better protection from the sun and rain. The bottoms and tops of the sides are still open though to allow as much air flow as possible. We had a nesting box, but Ms. Fisher was sleeping in it so we now use it to hold the waterer. It works great and she now sleeps with the others.

The paint makes it easy to wipe down in the mornings. We left the perches bare for their comfort, paint would have made it slippery. 

Bed time is so cute, they all peep like baby chicks and try to cuddle under each others wings. That was what Bessie was doing when she was shoving everyone off the perches. They just want to snuggle even though it's hot out.

Clever food holder!

Nice water dispenser!

Alexis figured it out first.

My husband got the idea for these great food and water dispensers from Rob Bob's Backyard Farming. That site is great and I love the way he explains things. My chooks love the feeder, but we're still trying to teach them the waterer. I made the mistake of catching them and tapping their beaks on the nipples to try and show them. They hated that and ran from me for awhile afterward. I've since learned I shouldn't have chased them if I want them to be tamed. Now I make chucking noises as I make the nipples drip water, I hope they get it soon.

They have ice water in pans that they drink and splash in as well so they are doing well. We also have a mister system that they enjoy and I put ice packs in their bedding to help keep them cool.

Nice place to explore.

So far they seem happy. The heat doesn't seem to bother them much. They peck and scratch most of the day, Dot found several grubs today. Alexis stole the first one, The second one was to big so she threw it away and Kate ate it , then she finally got one. It was fun to watch them chase each other for the prize. 

They haven't gone past the small bush next to the tree yet, but they are still getting used to it here. They aren't tame yet, but they let me get closer each time I go out there. They have no problem touching me and hit me with their wings when they scratch around my feet. Alexis even rubbed against my leg yesterday and Kate sat on my shoe for a minute. I can't wait until they let me pet them and maybe hold them! I'm trying to be patient, but they are so cute.  

Peek-a-boo!

Sylvia's new skirt guards

Here's some pictures of the new set of skirt guards I made for Sylvia. I just don't think she looks right without a set.  They're made of cotton yarn with an iridescent thread running through it. 

It's a simple triple crochet mesh stitch that I finished with a single crochet at the top and bottom. I just used more of the same yarn to tie them on over her fender. They don't interfere with removing the tire because of where and how I attached them.

I like the shiny!

Ready to have her rack back.

Up close view. 

This pair came out lighter and more airy than the others and I like how it looks. I need to secure the drive side one to the top of the chain guard. (Just noticed that in the pics!) I love making things for my bike, it gives me a feeling of accomplishment. I may make some sleeves for her U locks next. I'm also trying to work out a triple lock holster. It's a pain unvelcroing  them from her rack every time I go somewhere. 

I thought about doing a basket liner but I like the look of the wood base to much to cover it up. I haven't placed anything small in there without a bag yet either. Time will tell what I do to the poor girl next! 

I got the home healthcare job!

Today was my first official day of training with the home healthcare agency. I'm so excited to be chosen!

Today I got fingerprinted for the first time ever! It was messy and a bit surreal, the ink is very slimy feeling.

We got to meet the owner and most of the office staff and they all seem like great people. I'm really excited to be working with them! They really made me feel welcome and wanted. This is a great first step in my goal to becoming a nurse. I still laugh at myself for fighting it for so long.  

I also got a call from the hospital job today. He seemed a bit put out that I had found another job, but I told him I could do both and he said he'd get back to me. I'm not sure he will and I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't call, I just couldn't wait for a maybe. I need a job to pay for school and this one is actually in hands on healthcare. I feel a little sad about it though. After all, a month ago it was my dream job and I would still love to have it and be back in the hospital.

When I found out I hadn't gotten it the first time it made me reevaluate my life and my priorities.

Today's lessons were about how to give a bed bath and do peri care. We also learned a lot about communication and how to spot the signs of abuse and scammers. I'm hoping my odd assortment of hobbies and skills makes it easier for me to have something in common with my clients. It would be really cool to learn some new tricks with my Singer 66 or gain new knowledge about obscure pipes. Maybe I'll get a crocheter and we can sit and hook together while we talk. I can't wait to get out in the field and start getting some hands on experience!
The agency has the coolest sock dummy named Buddy. It was fun to watch it flop on the bed as it was gently turned and the sheets were changed. It was a lot more realistic than it should have been. Whoever made Buddy is a true artist. Sadly, I can't take pics there for confidentiality reasons. He is really cool. I might have to try and copy his pattern so I can have one...

We got to watch a video about how to do a bed bath on a client. It was boring , but mildly educational when suddenly it got to the privates washing part. It suddenly went from a real person draped modestly and helping her aide with the process to very graphic and up close drawings of the human nether regions. It was such a shock I almost laughed out loud like a kid, but up until then it had been very PG. I learned a lot after that.

I'm so grateful I got this job and I'm already learning a lot. I'm excited to see what I learn tomorrow.

In a mere 13 days I start school! I'm so excited! I can't wait to begin. Don't forget about my fundraiser!
 In the meantime here's a cute Rory picture from last night. He really loves his free space time!

Hello!

Isn't he cute!

Some cute pictures of Rory. He's turning out to be a really smart guy. He lets me know when his favorite shows come on and he can flip his house right side up on his own.

Roly ball is fun.

He rolls his ball around and can even get it in and out of his house. There's food inside so it makes noise and I can't wait for him to figure out how to open it.

He knows there's food inside.

He will now take food out of your hand and let you pet him while eating it.

He now takes food from your hand. 

He also likes to be scratched behind the ears and will let you do anything if you have a carrot.

He also gives you a look when it's gone.

It takes him about 5 minutes to pull hay out and spread it all over his cage.

Who farted?

He has a great sense of smell and squeaks when ever we pull any thing fresh out of the fridge. He also squeaks when Martha comes inside. He really loves that dog.

It was you!

Coming over to investigate.

I had read that guinea pigs were shy, but he isn't. He comes right over and checks you out if you get near him. I'm still working on the biting issue but carrot bribery works most of the time. He's not mean, it's more of a test bite to see if we are edible. He can modulate his bite pressure and he's only drawn blood a few times, but it still hurts.

I see you human.

Please spread the word about my fundraiser. Every little bit will be very much appreciated. Thanks!

Rory and a kitchen improvement

So far I've been keeping myself entertained while waiting for call backs from jobs by sewing and crocheting. Rory is also a ton of fun and way more active than I thought he would be. He does have one weakness though. Rory loves to watch TV, he yells at me when I turn it off.
He's very well behaved when there is something flashing on the screen. It makes me feel like a parent almost. Pop it on and get on to other things.

Castle is fascinating.

Feeding him is so much easier than I thought it would be. He gets all the hay he wants, a big bowl of fresh greens and vegis in the morning, and a nice scoop of pellets in the evening. So far he likes everything we've given him, but he really loves carrots. I also scared myself when I gave him a strawberry. It looked like someone had slit his throat. I admit I freaked a bit, but he loved eating it.

Breakfast!

This is his first time with cucumber. I only give him one new thing at a time so I can see what he likes.

Rory likes it!

He loves it! He also loves playing with his frozen blueberries. He rolls them around the cage before he eats them. He's to funny and I don't have the heart to tell him not to play with his food.

Now on to the kitchen improvement. My dear husband got these really great wire panels and installed them in the kitchen. They came with these cool baskets and shelves. I love the blue color of them and they make the kitchen so organized. It will take a bit of adjustment to decide what goes where, but after just one night it already fits in our house wonderfully.

They go to the ceiling!

It's great to not have to dig around to find things anymore. Now I want to get more baskets for them. These will definitely make life smoother! And they are pretty too!

Best cereal ever!

Rory loves...

A little update on how Rory is doing.

His big cage.

Teasing the dogs.

His apple toy.

Fresh produce.

Especially parsley!

His playpen.

Talking to Ginger.

And sharing with Stormy.

Princess is pretending he doesn't exist. She hasn't so much as sniffed him since he arrived. 

Introducing Rory

Yesterday I was able to bring home Rory. We met when I started at PetSmart and it was love at first sight. He would popcorn and chatter when he saw me (and probably anyone really) and loved to be held and petted. I really wanted to take him home, but he was in isolation and not available.
He has a broken toe that will heal deformed and a condition that makes him unable to live with other guinea pigs and therefore unsalable.
I was surprised that I could adopt him so soon, but I'm very happy about it. We already had most of what he needed and will pick up the rest today. I will be making him fleece quilts for bedding because he can't use the normal paper kind or the wood type.
Apart from his special housing needs and his toe he should grow into a normal and healthy little piggy. Tonight he will be introduced to the Princess and her court. It should go smoothly; she loves anyone smaller than her.

Hay is good!

Hello!

Sylvia's New Look

For the Solstice I decided to give Sylvia a bit of bling. My darling husband and I went around and found the best stickers for her. They are all Sticko stickers and most of them are really shiny. Doesn't she look great!

In the break room at work.

The pedals are also fairly new. I love the rubber ones, but after going through 2 pairs I've switched to green bear traps. They really grip, but hurt if they hit me.

The one that started it and my favorite monkey.

Back of the front fender.

Shiny blue dragon.

Rear fender tail.

Yellow dragon to the front.

Monkey balancing bananas!

Fish and butterflies on the seat tube.

My favorite butterfly!

I'm hoping to add more later, but for now she is rocking! Thanks to her I can avoid all the holiday crazyness that is mall parking and I'm am super grateful for that. 

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and stay safe out there!

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Have Fun!

Halloween was Great!

I hope every ones Halloween was fun. I got to go trick or treating with 7 wonderful young people.  My niece and nephews, a couple of their friends and my brother and sister in law. There were 5 adults so everyone was covered. I love trick or treating! 

Then I got to go to Nightfall with the in-laws! That was fun and the comedy act was great! It was a wonderful night and I can't wait for next year. 

I also finished my short story finally and I just need the cover done. Then I will be published!!!! I'm really proud of myself for it! I haven't been posting much because I had to make my deadline. 

I ran 5k in my house today and felt great after. My knee isn't bothering me much lately. I'm grateful for that. I can't wait until I can go for more than a minute in the real world without pain. That will rock!

Sadly when I went to update my phone this morning it killed it so I lost all the pictures on it from last night. On the plus side I had emailed some to my mother-in-law so I still had those. Yes I cried at the loss, but oh well. More storage space. 

Here are a few that were saved. 

They were great!

Spooky house!

Blurry fun

Boy am I glad to have these!

Have fun!

Aquaponics and a cute fish

The lettuce is growing great, but I think we may need to lower the light. I'm not sure what baby lettuce should look like though.

Monday

It seems to be coming up a bit stringy, but the stalks seem strong so I'm not sure. On Friday we'll get more chain and see if it bushes out more then.

This morning

The tomato plants are really growing well and I gave one to a coworker because we needed the room. I'm not sure how long it will take for them to fruit, this is the first time I've gotten them larger than an inch or so. It's too cool! We're growing our own food! Now I want chickens! That's not going to happen though.

They are about 6" tall!

The ciclids ate this ones tail and were starting on his side so we got him his own tank. The conditioner made the water look like pee, but it's good for his slime coat. I wasn't sure he would make it, but after a few days he now flirts for food and seems healthy. He also plays peek-a-boo with me.

Hello

I wonder if his tail will grow back. That would be cool. I'm trying to figure out what to name him, Nibbles just seems wrong. ;)

Feed me please!