Updates

Well, I’ve been exceptionally busy with my “day” job. from famine to feast with way too much happening. I got a contract building the cabinets/furniture in a million dollar boathouse, then another boathouse, then the cafeterias at a big factory, a bar, refurbish chairs and cabinets…........and the list doesnt stop. I’ve also booked ten days to go see my daughter graduate from university and then there is this small farm I live on and the kids who live here too. After figure skating, band, rep hockey, school hockey, foorball, soccer rugby, birthday parties, school and that list goes on and on….............time isnt my friend.

I bought 20 meat chickens and twenty dually chickens (eggs and meat) to go with my other 6 chickens. The meat birds do three things,......eat, sh*!, and sleep, mostly the second one. I had them in a brooder in the shop but the smell, despite changing the bedding twice a day could keep a swine away so I built another coop under the shed roof of the barn. Insulated, wired, windows and screens with a power vent to draw air in and another to draw air out and they seem quite happy there. The meat birds are now volleyball size and the others…...just plain cute. The pullets I bought are now laying up to 2 eggs a day and one lays the double yoke eggs so having up to 8 eggs a day the small fee I charge for free range eggs pays for the feed but it will be the year 2140 before I get the money back from the cost of the coops.

My FIL is still an @$$. I put a shower encloser into a home he rents to his “other” daughter. Working with him is an emotional and intellectual challenge. What should have taken a day took a week (no pay cheque) and in the end he decided to shorten the water spoat and his propane torch melted the enclosure. He has once again decided that “round up” makes for great weed control and the veggie garden is good and dead. .........I reallt have to wonder how his wife stays married to the beast. he certainly isnt the most handsome man, he isnt funny, he isnt smart and he isnt nice rather rude, fat, ugly and mean…..........oh, I forgot, he’s stump stupid.

Knowing that I have little time this spring I focus on my three flower beds that he cannot get his hands into and I also keep two bird feeding areas to watch my fine feathered friends.

Having made maple syrup once again knwoing that the children and spouse promised to help…..NOT…... I bought a turkey boiler and after spending about 300 bucks on lines, propane, a new turkey boiler I got about 3 gallons of maple syrup and just before it was time to “finish” the liquid gold the bottome of the pot melted and it all flowed about the stone driveway to which the dogs thought it a great idea to roll in it. Now they feel like sweet smelling sticky ashpalt. I did manage to get 3 more gallons as I absolutly hate being defeated.

Most of the trees I planted last fall look like they survived as do the plants I moved around. It is Sunday today and as in all weekends, I have to get back at it and will come back in for lunch only to see the teenagers in their PJ’s watching TV while their mother makes them breakfast, does their laundry and cleans the house only to ask me if I have cut the lawn yet.

I love how kids work so hard these days…............TV, its just so tiring they will probably need a nap about 2 pm and wake up for dinner about 5pm. Today is just one more day when the roosters once again seem to fly on their own, right up the first story roof to cock a doodle do near their 2nd storey bedroom windows.

Isnt life grand. Some folks have to pay good money to be entertained, but around here…....its almost free.

-- Central northish Ontario