bird free bathing resumes

 Chickens have been moved out to their temporary pen. The keets paved the way to the waterer and food trough. The bravest of the lot is a little barred rock roo. 

 The buffalo gnats were and are intense, so I put up some shade cloth to create a more bug proof area. The birds are quick to snap up a gnat on a light colored buddy, but the dark ones are not so lucky as the gnats are hard to see on them (and the gnats quickly wiggle in to their feathers to feast... my poor chicks!) We put a box fan out before the converted doghouse coop, so they can escape the bugs. So far it seems to be working. 

 I spent last night awake, the whole night.. checking on the birds frequently. I got bit by a gnat on the eyelid and it has swollen almost shut. My husband got bit on the lip and it swelled huge too. All that is missing is my daughter getting bit on the ear and we are the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" trio.

 The birds are a bit more freaked out about... grass. If you have ever seen a baby's first barefoot experience in grass, you know exactly what these birds are going through. They also are brave when we are near by, but race back to the coop should we step away.  

 The keets discovered their voices and stand in the grass complaining, then someone finds a bug and the race is on. One will pick a bit of grass and the chase begins.. through all the grass.. just to get the 1 blade in the mouth of another.

 Still the keet jockeys insist on a ride and the pecking order is still being figured out. We have a lot of roosters. A lot. You get the same ones facing off all the time.. yet at night they are snuggled next to their sparring partner. The chicken jockeys.. are mostly hens (judging from their significantly smaller crowns and the fact that they aren't the ones squabbling). They go for a ride, get unceremoniously dumped, then go drown their sorrows of rejection in the feed trough.

 I watched the sun set last night, and the sun rise this morning.. but what I am really going to enjoy right now is a shower sans poultry. No more ninja keet poop to worry about from Kate the white keet (who likes to sneak out when you are in the shower.. leave you a present.. then hop back in the box.) Our toothbrushes can now go back to that bathroom as I scrubbed every inch of the room. No more need to check behind the toilet paper for a keet. We can use the toilet in peace as the cheer leading chicks have been removed (even though they are only birds.. and not very bright ones.. it is still unsettling when every time you drop your pants, reach for toilet paper, "make a sound", remove clothing to get into the shower... they all freak out. They do this with everyone, but still it is hard to not take it personally when your nakedness just inspired chaos and panic in 3 dozen birds.)

 I will probably spend the night there again chicken sitting. I may do that a lot until the real coop is built. I really hope the gnats go away soon as it is supposed to get into the 90's again and weeding with a bug burqa is hellish.

 We've also been dealing with the discovery that our place in CO was trashed and many things were stolen by "the jerk". He took the washer and dryer and a lot of other things. Still struggling with that situation which wastes so much of our time. Our home will be set up for a short sale and our amazing friends are truly a blessing as they volunteered to do what they can to clean the place up.

 Our daughter is going to my sister's to help her with the juicing. Scrubbing the veggies and juicing them is a lot of work and it has to be done pretty much every hour in certain combinations. While it does have a significant impact, she unfortunately needs a miracle due to the advanced stage. It has gotten very aggressive, and the delay the doctors, insurance, etc. completely screwed her over. Her oncologist is going on vacation... again. Limited options who she can go to.. but this jerk off needs to switch careers because these antics have fatal results. 

 For now my sister is doing all she can. My daughter is excited and proud to help on the front lines with this war on cancer. My daughter is also realizing how important it is to eat the right food, but mostly she cherishes every second with my sister. My kid is amazing and I am very proud. Her goofy self is distracting in a good way.. always jokes, always some odd pondering, always a vat full of odd facts. She takes the focus off the cloud of cancer and my sister laughs and for the moment it is just a normal day with the enjoyment of good company. 

 One day at a time.. one foot in front of the other.. and not taking what I do have "right now" for granted, no matter how trivial. 

Peeps out.  :)