Chickens - Week 2

The babies are growing! This week they have developed fine wings that they really want to use and they're starting to get little tail feathers. They're also starting to get their little combs on their heads, and I think they've almost doubled in size. Cute, huh! Our children think we're nuts - maybe stupid. We've studied this out, kids. May make some mistakes along the way, but how hard can it be? Well, okay, maybe we don't know what we're doing, but we're getting advice from every direction and we are reading up a lot on the care and raising of chickens. Randy has his ideas for the chicken coop - I have mine. We'll see how it actually turns out. I just want it to look nice and be functional. The girls officially have names now. Big Red, Aunt Rhoda (the 2 RIReds), Della the Delaware, and Tilly the Hen (short for Matilda the Australorp). They'll get a new cage, probably today!

Cassity thinks the chicks are so so cute!

Peep, Peep, Peep!

Are they just about the cutest little feather balls! Ok, what's going on, you ask? I must confess, I've been wanting to try my hand at raising chickens for a few years but really didn't think it was "allowed" here in the city. But when I found out it is not only allowed, raising "urban" chickens is the "new" thing to do, so Randy and I decided to jump in and give it a try. Chickens only have to be housed 25 feet away from a dwelling, so we asked our neighbors, and they were all in favor, if not enthused! These are very vocal little critters, but settle right down at night and cuddle into one big fuzz ball. They practically grow by the minute and are quite entertaining to watch as they try to assert themselves to establish the pecking order and take turns standing on their feeding tray playing queen of the hill. Soon they'll be in a bigger home where they can sit on a real perch and be real chickens. These are strickly going to be pets - egg producers, and I've advised Randy I will not eat anything that has a name! So far, we have Aunt Rhoda (the darker RI Red), Della (the Delaware), and Matilda (the Black Aussie). Any suggestions for our lighter RI Red? Little Red Hen and Henny Penny are much too mundane for these special girls. I'm not sure who is most pleased with this new venture - Randy or me? We sit and smile at their cute little antics and hope we can keep them alive and thriving for years to come! I'll keep y'all posted!

Frustrations . . .

I've recently realized that I have learning disabilities and probably have had them all my life. Sad realization, but everything makes sense now.

I think I was a bright child. I was born in the latter years of my parents' lives, and I always thought I was pretty special to be the youngest child. I was spoiled rotten (or so I was always told by my older siblings).

When I was in Kindergarten, I was very ill. I had scarlet fever, red measles, and chicken pox all close together. I also had my tonsils removed about this same time, and while I was in the hospital, I had kidney failure. Whenever I had a high fever I had terrible nightmares which I couldn't awaken from without being in terror. I still recall those nightmares vividly to this day. I relate this as a possible reason why I think I had some learning disabilities throughout my life. Perhaps the high fevers had a very real physical effect on my brain. I really have no doubt about it now, as silly as it may sound.

I struggled with school, especially in math and science and history. Numbers never made any sense to me, and if I had to try to remember formulas or rules or codes or dates or events, I was completely lost. I always loved music and could memorize notes and words but could never remember key signatures or names of chords - I could never retain that kind of information. I just loved to sing or play my violin and all of that nonsense was irrelevant. I just knew how it different keys sounded, knew how the different scales sounded and didn't worry too much about why they sounded that way. I learned to play the piano by watching my mom and brothers and sister and just having a basic knowledge of how the notes related to the keys on the piano. I could put a decent sentence together but didn't know why I knew this. I never had problems with spelling or typing - that always was easy for me.

I struggled with my reading comprehension and retention and still have problems. I can't retain information, and memorization these days is really a struggle. It's probably harder now because of age, but it has always been a real challenge.

My paralegal certificate was one of the hardest things I ever did in my life. It truly was ten months of hell, and I honestly have no idea how I did it. I believe I had a lot of help from my friends, as we did projects on a group basis, and my instructors worked with me to get through it. Tests were extremely difficult, and I barely passed. I did well on assignments because I could put practical application to most of the work, and it related to things I could understand. The thought of taking college level classes now is quite terrifying, and I have no desire to go through that again, especially at this time of my life.

I realized that I had a problem tonight when I started a sight-reading music class and realized that I had no idea what this guy was talking about, even though I have been taught this music theory for the past 50 or so years and still haven't been able to remember what key 2 flats is or remember how to make bread by scratch without following a recipe. It's all very familiar, but it is information that never made sense to me and probably never will. I merely get frustrated and sad when I realize I can't be all I want to be, but then I realize I am what I am and I'm living a good life in spite of my learning issues. I will most likely keep trying and keep struggling with my disabilities, but I will try to keep positive and always remember how good it is to be where I am and to be doing what I am doing here and now.

To my children and grandchildren, work hard and learn all you can and be the best at what you do, in whatever you do. If you have some struggles, please don't give up. If we focus on the frustrations, they'll only be millstones around our necks and hold us down. Remember who you are and the great potential within.

With love,
Mumsie