Tagen and Lily came out for lunch. Jason and Kathy joined us in eating chicken strips, green beans and macaroni and cheese. After lunch Tagen and I went down to the chicken coop. We worked for about 25 minutes and it was game time so took a break to watch the first half. We went down at half time and finished up the job.
We had six wheelbarrows full of smelly, wet straw. It was very heavy as it had gotten wet. Tagen struggled to lift it up. I’m not sure how long it would have taken me if I had tried to do the whole job. What a relief it is to have that job done. As we left the girls were inside rearranging the straw to their liking. I will add a touch more straw tomorrow after they get this first layer packed down a bit. We shouldn’t have to clean it out again until spring.
Tagen and Lily are going to stay and watch the second game of the day today and then come out on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the game. Tagen can’t get it at his house. Since they are staying to watch the game this evening, I’ll have to come up with something for dinner for them.
I baked a double batch of chocolate chip cookies for them this morning. I was going to make Tagen’s favorite dessert but I didn’t have any Cool Whip. He asked me if I could make it this afternoon. I told him next time I go to town I will get some and make him a pan and bring it to him. He earned it today.
I got notice from my on-line bank that the tax form I need to complete my taxes is ready to be printed. I will get that printed off and then get my tax package to my accountant. She rarely gets to them before March but at least she has them if she gets a chance to work on them before that. It always feels good to hand them off. I didn’t have a good profit year with the rentals so am not expecting to have to pay taxes this year. I was hoping to have gotten one of the rental houses sold last year as I knew it would have been a good tax year to have that happened but it didn’t work out that way. What is that saying – Life is what happens when you are busy making plans.
The window guys are coming tomorrow to install the last two windows. I have to take my car in at 10:00 to get the oil changed. I’m hoping tomorrow afternoon I can spend some time working on my tax homework. I need to get at that and get the tests taken later this week. Not sure when we start doing taxes but I know it is coming up soon.
The sound coming from the furnace room has stopped for the most part. It hammered for about ten minutes last night and finally stopped, started again but only went for a couple of minutes, stopped again and then did two more taps and hasn’t gone again. I heard the same sound but not as loud coming from a different place this morning but it only went for a few taps and stopped. Sure hope that is the end of that. Curious minds want to know what was causing the sound and if something needs to be done.
I do need to call the heater guys that I had go to Michelle’s house a week ago. They didn’t fix the problem with Ellexia’s room being so cold. I was really disappointed in them when I got the bill and read that all they did was open a register. We had tried that and that wasn’t the problem. Wonder what they will say and do.
Slowly but surely my pending list of things to get done and follow up on is getting smaller. I have had a run of issues to deal with and it feels good to be working my way through most of it. Still need to get the siding of the house repaired and the guttering replaced but that has to wait for warmer weather. It sure will be a relief when all the hail damage is taken care of. I have been a bit overwhelmed lately with all the issues I have had to deal with. It is time to turn the corner and change my luck around here.
We reached the low to mid 50’s on the prairie today. The snow is really melting and we have enjoyed every minute of the sunshine today.. The path down to the chicken coop is wet and muddy. I was surprised I didn’t have trouble with the wheelbarrow picking up lots of mud in the coop. We have a chance for some light snow overnight but then it is to warm up again tomorrow. I am getting a bad case of spring fever. This has been a brutal winter so far and February can often add a punch. At least February is a short month and March will be here before I know it.
Grateful for Tagen’s help today, grateful the chickens coop smells better, and grateful for the sunshine today.