A top ten-day on the prairie today. Mid 60’s, no wind, bright blue skies and magnificent sunshine. The sunrise this morning was a beautiful way to start the day. The sunset will be amazing as well. I love living on the prairie on days like this!
I went into Emporia this morning to do my tax shift. It was fun as normal and I get to see people I haven’t seen in a long time. Afterwards I stopped at the bank to cash a check and get some cash for my trip next week. Then I went to Bluestem and got 300 pounds of chicken feed and 150 pounds of dog food.
When I got home I headed out to the chicken coop to clean it out. Man! I am tired tonight. Nine wheelbarrows full of chicken shit! The coop sure smells better now and the girls love to rearrange their fresh linen aka straw. My back is sore though. The shit was piled up knee-high under the roosting bars and I had to remove it in layers. It was wet and heavy. Glad that job is done! During the rest of the year I clean it out monthly and it is only a 30 minute job and 1 or 2 wheelbarrows full. During the winter I add fresh straw on top of the old stuff monthly as the shit helps keep the coop warmer.
The person that will be house sitting for me while I am gone came with her mother today to learn how to do chores. My step-grandfather was the house sitter’s mother’s uncle. What a small world! Her mother knew my grandmother and loved her. I will be leaving my house= in good hands.
Got the chicken feed poured into the smaller containers and the dog food out of my car. That was my weight lifting exercise for the day. By the time I was lifting out the last couple of bags I was tired.
Tomorrow I need to start cleaning my house. I haven’t touched it for two weeks and it is dusty and needs attention. I don’t want to leave a dirty house for the house sitter.
I need to do another recycling drop off tomorrow. I am going to Ad Astra for dinner tomorrow night so I can listen to Elexa Dawson sing and will take the recycling when I go to town tomorrow night. I reserved a table for two but it will be just me. Anyone want to join me? 6:00 Ad Astra.
I am so looking forward to my trip with my Match guy. I will stay at his house from Tuesday until Sunday and then we will head towards KY. We will spend all day Tuesday with Kathy and then head for the Washington DC area on Wednesday. His son lives in that area. We will stay there until the following Monday and then are going to Ashville, NC for a week. That is where his brothers and a sister live. We plan on doing some sight-seeing along the way and will be going to museums and such in DC. I trust this trip will be as much fun as our last trip together was.
It feels good to have moved my body today but I am a bit sore and tired tonight. I took a shower when I was done cleaning the chicken coop out and I might take a soaker bath tonight with some Epsom salts to ease the back ache I have. Tomorrow I will start cleaning the house and getting it in order. Monday I have a doctor’s appointment in the morning and then will need to pack in the afternoon. Tuesday I have a tax shift in the morning and then will head for OK.
Grateful for a clean and fresh smelling chicken coop, grateful for a perfect spring day on the prairie, and grateful it is warm enough outside I can have my windows open and hear the birds singing.