Wait....What?!

How on Earth did it morph into Wednesday?!  I swear I was awake most of the last four days, so I couldn't have missed this holiday weekend, could I?


Snort.  Friday started the whole downhill motion with an overnight guest that arrived over three hours early.  I thought I was so smart and had sidled out of the office at four - plenty of time to get home (picking up a few groceries and cat food) and put the finishing touches on my housecleaning.  Oh, I just slay myself sometimes.  As if two hours would put even the smallest of beginnings of barely touching it touches on my housecleaning...  Just as I toddled out of the store to my car, I got a text that my friend was, in fact, three hours early and sitting outside of the house.  Cheese and Crackers!


Luckily, the dogs were so overjoyed to see not only me, but COMPANY, that they herded him right out the back door and I was able to run a quick eye over everything.  It was good enough.  This friend has retired (lucky him) and has ramped up his photography hobby into something special.  He had just been on a wildlife adventure on an island off the coast of Maine, photographing puffins and other sea birds.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), the next morning - bright and early - I was due to take the Nuggets to Freezer Camp.  Oddly enough, he declined to join me and was packed and in his car, backing quickly down the driveway before 7A.


That same morning, I was out doing morning chores like a mad person as soon as it was light enough to see what I was doing.  As luck would have it, the building super at my office, had mentioned offhandedly that his wife would like to learn how to process chickens.  Not getting that request every day (or ever), I was on it like white on rice.  They are both dog rescuers, have numerous dogs - many with special needs.  S&C showed up right on the dot and helped me load the Nuggets into their travel crates.  While we were getting things set up, S asked if there was anything that needed done, as he had put his tools in the car.  I tried to be nonchalant, but I believe I was radiating excitement.  He replaced the light outside my front door in about 10 minutes.  The ice had almost sheared it off this past winter and I, as all country bumpkins do, had tied it up with baling twine.  We headed over to my neighbor's house, aka Freezer Camp, and proceeded to process all 16 birds in under an hour and a half.  Even with the fast pace, the heat and humidity and threatening skies took its toll.  I was dragging at the end.  However, I had to go home, change and head north.  By the time all my errands were over, I was very Life of The Living Dead and looking forward to an early night.


Unfortunately, at the LLC, no one gets to go to bed until the ducks are ready to call it a night.  And Saturday night, they were downright inconsiderate.  I finally gave up at 10P, when the skies opened up and it poured.  I wasn't too worried, as they were contained in their enclosure, within the chicken yard.  At 1:31AM, I was blasted out of sleep by frantic quacking - I shot out of bed, turned on the light, jumped into my shoes and grabbed the flashlight and the .22 as I catapulted out of the back door.  There was nothing.  Nothing at all, except for four waddling ducks looking annoyed by the wavering beam of my flashlight.  Needless to say, I was unable to return to sleep.  On Sunday, an alarmingly small number of items got checked off The List.  It was all I could do to keep my eyes open.  I was extremely happy when the ducks cooperated and were in their hut by 9:30.  I got a blissful seven hours of sleep.


Monday was for pies and housecleaning, as I was having the gang over on the Fourth and had to make two pies for the local library's big fundraiser.  Thinking I would save myself from slaving over a hot oven all day, I decided to make strawberry chiffon pies for the library, and a coconut cream pie for the 'do'.  What the heck was I thinking?  Between the stirring, chilling, more stirring, more chilling, I lost the entire day!  The coconut cream pie didn't even make it into the fridge until 9:15PM.  I have come to realize that I am not big on entertaining anymore.  I don't mind a small get-together, but this was 10 people and it did nothing but stress me out.  (Don't laugh, Joyce....)  By the time everyone left, it was time for evening chores, loading the dishwasher, washing, sorting, putting away extra chairs.


And then it was Wednesday.  I am in need of some time off from my time off.

Slimbo has the right idea

I love his white chin

He has a white bulls-eye on his chest.