Snatched From the Jaws of Death

If something is going to “go down” at this place I a can, with 85% certainty, guarantee its going to go down when Kevin is away. Friday morning was no exception. Kevin had just left for a weekend BAER assignment and I was puttering around the trying to get the dishwasher loaded and laundry started when someone knocked on the door. I knew it had to be the neighbor as he’s the only one who’d knock at 7:30am. Sending a quick prayer heavenward that I at least had a bra and running pants on under my nightshirt I went to answer the door.

Sure enough, it was Randy. I got out a “morning” before he said, “ Your dog is chasin’ your Rooster around the backyard…” To which I may or may not have replied, “Oh s&!t, thanks” before slamming the door in his face (as I dashed out of the house I did think that slamming the door like that with him standing there was a little, okay a lot, rude but I'd have to deal with that later) See when Randy says “dog” I know that means…Tilly.

To most individuals Tilly looks like your typical sweet loving Labrador.

However, to rockchucks, other assorted small rodent-type critters, and chickens Tilly looks more like this::

She’s not called “Two-snap Tilly” for no reason. Captain Nimrod had hopped the fence and met up with a fuzzy black Angel of Death. There was no time to spare!

When I burst into the back yard Tilly was standing in the grass looming over a pile of black and white feathers. She literally had a paw on the Captain and was licking his neck.  I was sure I was too late, his head was gone, and I’d have to explain the facts of life and poor chicken judgement to the kids all over again. Still, in my anger I yelled, “Tilly!!” at the dog. She jerked her head up startled and the pile of feathers leapt to its feet and went madly dashing back to the chicken pen in a manner something like this:

Once I got the gate open the panicked Captain dashed into the hen house. I picked him up and checked him over. Physically he was fine no bit marks or brusing anywhere. Worried the shock might get to him I watched him pretty close for the rest of the day. Aside from cowering behind the chicken coop anytime the dogs came near he seemed fine. He’s been taken down a peg or two for the time being (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as he was getting a bit cocky…pun intended) but is otherwise fine for literally being seconds from death.

Needless to say I finally got around to reclipping wings and hung some bird netting to prevent further breakouts.

Summertime Blues

Anybody who follows the blog on a regular basis is well aware my summer blogging activity is somewhat lax. Too much here, there and everywhere goes on and I often just plain don’t have the time to post anything. This summer has been particularly stagnant in the blog writing area as once the main weeks of summer business passed I ended up with appendicitis (woo-hoo *inset sarcasm*) and spent a good two weeks going stir crazy on the couch. But more about that later. A brief pictorial recap of what has been going down since school let out.

1) 4th of July – My side of the family came for a visit and we enjoyed several days of just chilling in the backyard and hanging out. Blowing up a watermelon using rubber bands was a highlight for the kids.

2) Swimming lessons – No sooner had the family departed, when we started swimming lessons. This year we tried lessons at the Filer City Pool. It was a fantastic experience and I’m sure we’ll be doing it again.

3) Ice Cream Social at Ritter Island – A fun day of watch horses and antique tractors plow and plant, exploring the old dairy and waterfalls, plus a wagon ride, impromptu game of ‘Red Rover’ with other visitors and, of course, ice cream.

4) Malad Gorge – We had several water days out at this state park taking advantage of the flood irrigating of the picnic area. Water Safety put on by the park was a favorite. It was a free event and the kids (and adults) got to test out canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddle boards.

5) The Appendix Goes - I had felt fine at Water Safety Day pictured above, but the next day I woke up feeling terrible and thinking I had food poisoning. I couldn’t keep anything down. Around noon that part abated and I just felt uncomfortable and really bloated. Took some gas-x and ibuprofen and figured it would all work it’s way through. Monday there was still no relief and my lower abdomen felt like It’d been worked over with a baseball bat. Since nothing OTC was providing any relief I got an appointment to see my primary care physician. He looked me over and said, “Well,it could be a virus, but have you had your appendix out?” Since his clinic doesn’t have the equipment (CT machine) to diagnose appendicitis he told me to head over the the hospital ER and said he’d call ahead and talk to a Dr. friend who works the ER. I kid you not the guy’s name was Holliday….Doc Holliday, go figure. Anyhow, I got to the ER about 2:30. They had me back in a bed for observation and in live for a CT by 3pm. By 4:45 I was back for a CT scan and by 5:15 Doc Holliday informed me the appendix had to go. By 5:30 I met the surgeon, Dr. McKain (Who was AMAZING btw…if you need a surgeon I’d recommend him. Excellent beside manner. It’s obvious he really cares about his patients. I mean how many surgeons ask for a hug after your last follow-up appointment because they’re glad you’re okay??). By 6 I was in the OR and by 7pm all was said and done. I was in a room by 7:15 and up and walking by 9pm. They released me at Noon the following day. ‘

My appendix had ruptured, but it was only a “pinpoint perforation” so no major infection outside the appendix. Still got to take some heavy antibiotics for several days post-op. 4 weeks out I’m feeling about 90%. Two out of the 3 incisions are well healed and the third (the largest of the three…it was laparoscopic surgery) is looking really good. I’m moving well, there are just days where I have no energy still and I’m not allowed to lift more than 15lbs (which is harder than you think). Give me a few more weeks and I should be back to ‘normal.’ I was humbled by the support we got from friends and family. My mother in-law came a stayed for  a week which was enormously helpful, plus my parents and sister sent dinners even thought they live over 300 miles away. Plus some local friends stopped by with meals. It really did ease a burden and we are so grateful.

6) California Cousins Visit – For the first time since we moved to Idaho eight years ago Kevin’s brother and family came to visit us. Usually everyone just meets up at the folk’s in Washington and we see each other maybe once every year or so. Having them come to our place was a nice treat and we got a chance to show them some of the local “tourist attractions.”

This was pretty much just July – whew! Hopefully August is a bit more laid back, but knowing this family I doubt it.

Chickie Update

There have been a few questions of how our chicken project is going so I thought I'd update you all. The chickens have all be outside for a bit over a month now and are doing great in their pen/coop. Out of the eight chicks, five turned out to be cockerels (young roosters). We planned on keeping two - Foxy, who looked like he was the poster boy for weather vanes, and Thunderbolt, a Barred Rock looking fellow with terrible depth perception (can't get the 8" jump into the coop and hits the threshold every time) and an endearing demeanor. He still lets Emilie pick him up and cart him around without too much fuss...especially if she has corn.

As with all the best laid plans....well they changed. Foxy got outfoxed by jumping the fence and running into Tilly, who turns out to be a chicken killer (grrrr). Honey is a chicken chaser So plan B came and Thunderbolt got promoted to sole rooster since the other 3 were not ones we wanted to keep.

So what of the other 3 young roosters? Mr. Peepers the Banty roosters, and the Red twins were taken over to a friend who raises a more extensive flock. They're allowed to stay as long as they mind their manners and don't pick on the other chickens (I'm guessing Mr. Peepers lasts less than a week ;P ). This friend also has lines with the Nepalese population in the valley and sells them meat birds so this may well be where the boys end up. Out of the deal we've been offered a pullet out of some chicks they have right now once they are bigger and we can tell if they are gentlemen or ladies. 3 Cockerels for a hen is not a bad deal.

Waiting Patiently, aka The Hard Part

Got 'Em!!!

This leaves us with three hens ( Carmey, Claire, and Blackberry) in the coop right now and one coming. Four hens and a rooster seems like a pretty good number for a family of four just looking for fresh eggs.

Bringing Home a Baby Lobster, aka, Mighty Crawdad Hunters

During the Summer we heard a rumor via one of the guys, (Jared Williams…do ask Jack about him sometime, its worth the monologue) that there are crawdads in the canal…lots of crawdads. Crawdads to the point a determined group could fill a 50 gal cooler with little trouble and have themselves a crawfish boil…. We were intrigued.

Well the canal was shut off mid-October so we waited a few weeks for the level to drop to the ‘large pools’ phase, slipped on our rubber boots, grabbed a net, and went to go see if the rumors were true.

(Note: I know it looks like a grimace, but the is what that is Jack ‘smiling’ for the camera…I’m a bit terrified of what his school picture is going to look like.)

Turns out Mr. Williams was spot on in his assessment. Not quite sure if we could have filled a cooler (perhaps up closer to the head gates where density would be higher you could….we are many many miles downstream) But there were enough of them for easy pickings and a good time.

Watching the kids try to work up the courage to pick one up brought back memories of summer days and family reunions turning over rocks in the river at Lewisville Park. Kevin and I jokes we should get some chicken bones and come back after dark when the kids were in bed (right Julie ) ala the Lost Lake/Bonaparte technique.

30 minutes and 4 pairs of soggy boots later we have a good mess of Crawdads. Many of them were good-sized too. Emilie was a bit dismayed we were going to boil them ALL and was allowed to keep one. The following day we returned it to it’s ‘family’ in the canal.

Both kids were pretty adventurous and tried a sample. Emilie actually really liked them. I’m thinking next year we go prepare and try for a full on crawdad boil. What do you think?

In the meantime, I kid you not, Emilie is writing letters in bottles to them and taking them carcasses from leftover chicken…..All creatures great and small, fuzzy, slimy, or scaly that one.

Just Another Day in Paradise

So this happened…. Yep, it was one of those moments where you don’t want to interrupt the kids. They are so into what they are doing if you startle them it will break the magic. Kevin and I observed this from the living room window giggling and whispering like a couple of bird watchers (okay, I did go out at the very end with the camera). Thankfully, no “Naked Jay Birds” appeared, but they did get good and wet. Seems after the equipment was cleaned they figured washing each other off would be a fantastic idea too. Poor dogs, that’s their kiddie pool, and it had just been cleaned and refilled earlier in the day….probably why it became such an enticing truck wash.

That is an little metal excavator in her mouth…multitasking

Trucks are clean and so are they!

I love these moments…these unplanned events. These are the ones that we’ll look back on and laugh the hardest about later down the line.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

I know I’m incredibly biased, but aren’t they just the cutest? They’ve been in to playing dress up this week. Emilie is usually a princess of some sort and Jack is a brave knight or prince. Their tale tends to have a Hansel & Gretel feel to it though and I am often begged to be the witch. This usually means I end up tossed in a cauldron and melted at  some juncture. Kevin usually gets to be the big bad Tiger. All in all in involves a lot of squealing and running around the house playing chase. Lots of fun…

I will say last night they took a different path and Jack decided he wanted to be Rocket J Squirrel and Emilie was Boris Badenov. I was told I was Natasha Fatale (is this an upgrade from the witch role???). I guess that means Kevin gets to be Bullwinkle Moose? If you haven’t caught on the kids are really into watching Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends right now. In fact Fractured Fairytales sketches might explain the whole prince/princess witch thing……

Summer Hiatus Anyone?

You’d think summer vacation would mean a slowdown and I’d get time to relax and maybe post more. Not so much. While we are home more and don’t have the morning rush the kids and I are still keeping busy with a not-so-routine schedule of activities. Bike riding (We took off Jack’s training wheels and he’s working on the whole two-wheeler thing….balance is not his forte), trips to the pool (both kids are motivated to pass the swim test – lap across the pool and back – so they can jump off the diving board), summer reading program at the Library, back yard campouts, and general all around warm weather shenanigans that usually involve a hose.

What this means is that my posting becomes sporadic at times and there is a chance you won’t hear from me until September when the kids go back to school.

Speaking of School. Both kids are done for the summer. We now have a soon to be 1st Grader and a soon to be Tiger (4/5 preschool).

Jack had Kindergarten graduation a few weeks back which was both hysterical (You never know what you are going to get from 90+/- 6 year olds) and emotional (for me anyway). I’m going to miss all those little faces I worked with every Wednesday. Such is Life. Well, Jack did fantastic at the ceremony. He got to hold the “O” during the vowel song. A perfect fit for him since a speaking roll would have resulted in wide-eyed staring and chirping crickets, holding up the ‘O’ though he did to perfection…whipped that sign right up high when the kids said, “O!” When they handed out his diploma he impressed us with his athleticism. Never have I seen a child book it off the stage so fast. He almost missed the grab of his diploma in his hustle to get out of the spotlight.Since then he’s been asking, “How many days ‘till I start First Grade?”

In other news we finally broke down and traded in the truck for a mini van. We were hoping to get the truck paid off and perhaps keep it, but when we looked at the summer schedule (i.e. the amount of kid-hauling space needed) it became apparent the van would come in handy now. Because it wasn’t full-sized (read only so-so in the towing department) and lacked 4-wheel drive we couldn’t justify keeping it and the two car payments that would come along with. The budget just said. “NO!” We did get a good deal on a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. It has less than 30,000 miles and should last us for several years to come. I’m loving the sliding door and easy access for the kids. A useable trunk is also fantastic. It does have a lot of buttons…most not essential to everyday car operations…and I’m still figuring out what many of them do.

In an effort to welcome in summer Emilie cut her hair…again. So we went down to the beauty parlor and got her a bob….again. She looks adorable as usual, but it was just getting back to the length where I could do ponytails, and other fun things with it. Oh well, she’s rather dramatic about me brushing her anyways….guess it saves us the daily trouble.

Well, the kids are up with the birds and down with the bats this time of year so I’d better get to it before they do. Enjoy you summer and hopefully you’ll hear from me before school starts again.

Wind Up to Summer

Whew! Things have been hopping ‘round these parts lately. Events and activities have been line up and coming down the pipe one after another. Everything is fairly well lined out so we’re not overwhelmed but we are busy. Add to that some stresses adjusting to our new pet (Honey), my volunteer Secretary position at church, and the fact I finally ordered photos for scrapbooking so I can at least get up through Christmas 2014 and the blog gets a little neglected. Next week is the last week of school (that went fast) for both kids, and make-up swim lessons (they cancel when we have thunderstorms and we’ve had several lately) then I drive straight into VBS. Like I said, things keep on keeping on.

Now where was I??

Honey. So I mentioned some stress tied to her. Well, two weeks ago Tilly went lame in one of her hind legs. Before I could get her into the vet she and Honey got into a fight. With her bum leg Tilly got the worst of it….a ‘pierced’ ears and little nips/cuts all around her collar area and chest. We thought our worst fears of getting a ‘second-hand’ dog had come true and we had one that was aggressive. That week was so stressful. Not only did we have an unplanned vet bill, but the truck needed brakes and once they got them apart they needed more work (Kevin verified visually and we weren’t getting the wool pulled over our eyes) than thought so the price tag doubled. So two big unplanned bills, a dog that now needed special care and medication, and another dog that might be aggressive.

We sat back, tugged on our hair, and tried to put things in perspective. We’d only had Honey a week. Maybe she was an ‘alpha’ type dog or maybe Tilly’s hurt leg caused her to snap at Honey when she tried to get Tilly to play. No one was home when it happened so who knows really. Tilly pulled the muscles in he stifle pretty good but she didn’t tear them (a HUGE relief) so she was put on bed-rest (read, in the kennel, crate, or on a leash. No bouncing or running around like a yeah-hoo) and give pain killers and antibiotics. She was going to be okay. Now I’ll be honest, we looked at our options to rehome Honey. We even talked to a foster program. In the end we decided that since she and Tilly had to stay separate anyway and she’d shown no aggression towards the kids or the other animals that she could stay until Tilly is back up and running. So for the next 12 weeks (10 now) she’s on probation.

The good news on her probation is she seems to be relaxing. She doesn’t ‘huff’ (an anxiety thing) nearly as much and when Tilly comes out for walks they both try to initiate play (slapping forelegs on the ground with the butt wiggling in the air) and I’ve even watched Honey roll over and expose her belly to Tilly. Only problem is, the terms of Tilly’s bed rest don’t allow her to join in. Let’s just say we’re taking it glacially slow with these two.

After that week, Mother’s Day was a relief. We went fishing down at Riley Pond by the State Hatchery in Hagermann. Nothing like sitting with a line in the water to let your worries go. Both kids had a blast digging in the dirt and helping fish. Emilie is a master at handing out power bait (it’s just like play-doh ) and neither mind us using worms for bait as long as we don’t use Mr. Wiggly, the big night crawler (he’s just along for the ride).

We caught three fish in all, including one with a tracking tag that had to be submitted to the state. After filling out the form online we received a nice letter from Fish and Game later the next week telling us when the fish had been released (two months prior), where it was released (same pond we caught it in), and how long it was when it was released (it had grown about 1.5 inches). Some of those types of tagged fish win you prize money….ours was not one of those, but it was still a pretty neat experience.

Thankfully, the week post Mother’s day was much calmer and Kevin and I even got a date night, sans kids, when we went to the Friends of the NRA banquet. (our neighbor is the chapter president and ropes us into going every year….thankfully the ‘Friends of’ side of the NRA is non-political and is more about raising funds to use for firearm education than anything else). Huge thanks to Kevin’s boss Sarah and her husband Rich for watching our kids last minute. Between state Softball, family obligations, and my Mom’s group having a Mom’s only event (read everyone needed a sitter) all my normal childcare options were unavailable. Both kids had a blast at their house and impressed them with their food consumption capacity… .

Well, I’d better go get Tilly out for her yard time. Until next time….which is hopefully in a week or less….

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Blame it on the Dog

His claim: “Tilly punched me in the face.”

I really doubt that seeing as she lacks the opposable thumb necessary to make a fist. However, I can see him rough housing with the dog and getting grazed by a foot. It would explain the scratch looking marks…..

Since I didn’t see it happen I’ll just got with it. So brave this guy is though. Came in the house after it happened and was trying so hard not to cry asking, “Mom can I have a band-aid and corn?” (read frozen corn, a ’la ice pack)

Yes, I Have a Boy

Once again reminded that I have a child who carries a ‘Y’ chromosome….

Meet ‘Mr. Wiggles,’ Jack found his new pet in one of his dirt pits out back and brought him inside to show him some “truckin’ videos.” After several renditions of ‘Driving my life away’ Mr. Wiggles was looking pretty parched and I suggested that he might like to go back outside and check in with his family. I’m pretty sure Jack listened, either that or Mr. Wiggles is sitting in a toy dump truck somewhere feeling kind of crispy. 

Photo Friday–All ‘Tie’-d Up

Wearing every single last one of Daddy’s ties…..and nothing else.