The Coop, The Hens, and El Sicko

The Hen Party is over. Evelyn (Not Her Real Name), Carly (Not Her Real Name), Betty! It Comes in Bone! (Not Her Real Name) and Susan (Her Real Name) flew the coop yesterday morning, after a couple of days of eating, shopping, movies, and conversation. Some would say "gossip," but I find that an overly pejorative way to describe our discussions about people we know and don't know.

There was quite a bit of planning involved in housing everyone. Susan, of course, always occupies the Princess Suite, and none would dare challenge that. The other three have to be divided by Use of Bathroom Time. It is not a good idea to have Carly and Evelyn share a bathroom, because they each require vast amounts of time doing hair and makeup, and catfights would certainly ensue. Betty! It Comes in Bone!, Susan and I, on the other hand, are natural beauties who need only the flick of a comb and a splash of cold water on the face to greet the day. Something like that. Anyway, that's how I decided that Evelyn would have the second in-house guest room, and Betty! It Comes in Bone! and Carly would share Rick's Man Cave up in the barn loft.

Fortunately, everyone seemed to enjoy their accomodations. The problem came with the snacks. I tried to be a good hostess and provide constant eating opportunities, but you know how women are. They sucked down the Fritos and Ruffles and dips, all the while declaiming that I was an evil woman who was trying to kill them with saturated fats. Um, yeah, whatever. Would you like a brownie with that?


While we ladies went exploring, Bjorn (Not His Real Name) and his faithful manservant Rocko (Uh-huh) built the Graceland of Chicken Coops. All that remains to be done are a few little finishing touches, and painting. It's big, and solid, and I'm sure the girls will love it in a few weeks when they graduate from the brooder box. Bjorn did a great design that elevated the hen house a few feet so that all the poop will fall through and can then be easily raked out. Yes, again, it's All About the Poop.

I held up just fine during the whole visit from the girlfriends, and then within hours of their departure I started getting a sore throat, headache, stomach ache and general aches everywhere. I went to bed scandalously early and slept about 12 hours. I seem to have a garden-variety miserable cold, which sucks, but at least I waited till I had time to be sick.

Isn't it funny how that happens? How many times have we soldiered on through a vacation or a crisis or whatever, and then get sick at the first "opportunity?" Weird.

As soon as I get my strength back (cough cough) I have to take some new pictures of the chicks. Man, are they growing! You won't recognize them. Rick says that you grow pretty fast if all you do is eat, sleep, and poop.

I am going to be testing that theory for myself the next few days.