Easing back in

[Chicken lady]

Thanks.

once again I got less accomplished than I would like, no laundry but I did the rest of my ‘very short to me’ list, which leaves me further behind.

but I had a really good day.

i finally got to order the new kiln for school. And when I did, I reminded the staff member that there was a condition on the order in order to get an advantage, and she said “don’t worry about it. You get that because you’re you.” Which is just an amazingly huge thing for me. Most of the time I feel like the boy in ‘how to train your dragon’ whom everyone wants to be “less you”. I don’t care what part of “me” justifies the advantage - i’ll take it!

class went well. I have chosen a project to skip without regret and have only minimal homework. The teacher made us lunch (it related to the class) and it was yummy and healthy.

the class I am teaching went well and my kids told me good things about their lives.

i swam.

my blood pressure was 96/65!

dh made dinner.

and the chicken I had given up on hatched an egg (she has 2 more, i’ll check in the morning.)

[debbie]

Chicken lady, I'm glad to hear your students saying good things about their lives . I babysit my two great nephews and meet them at the bus after school; every day I ask how was school? and every day they say great. I'm so happy for them as I rarely had a great day at school. Glad to hear the chicken hatched an egg too. My niece gets eggs from her farmer friend but they are really dirty. Can I wash them or does it go through the shell?
How do they get so clean at the store?

[Chicken lady]

The store eggs go through a very regulated wash system with chemicals. Also, battery hens lay eggs onto a “clean” surface where they are mechanically transported away and can’t be stepped on.

A well maintained flocke should have clean bedding bedding and nesting areas and not be producing “really dirty” eggs.

that said, wash under running water - warm, about 90*. You can buy egg wash. I don’t know what is in it. I just use water. Sometimes a toothbrush if there is a stubborn spot. Don’t ever crack open a dirty egg to eat!

[Chicken lady]

I am taking it slow this morning, but I plan for my focus to be on my barn and my pottery because those are the areas most out of balance (well, and the garden, but it is mid September - clearly I will not be planting fall seeds after all, and what I did plant can run its course - mulching in preparation for next year goes hand in hand with barn clean out.

[debbie]

Thanks I will wash well in future instead of just avoiding the dirty eggs.

[Chicken lady]

So, I did the minimum work needed to keep up with the stalls. It took 4 hours and 15 minutes, but a lot of that (after the first hour and 45 minute block) was spent cooling off, drinking water, and resting until I felt less physically tired.

clearly I am going to need to budget about 4.5 hours a week for barn work in addition to regular chores. Also clearly, the next block will need to occur during the visit from my inlaws. Followed by a thorough shower before I am fit for company.

i need to go back, look at my 8 week plan, and make notes on a piece of paper so that I can put it in front of me and assess it weekly.

[Tammy]

Working outside while your visitors are in the house sounds like a great plan.

[mschrisgo2]

CL, good for you for timing your work in the stalls. I've found I am not very realistic about the time certain tasks take- some are far less- usually the ones I've been avoiding!- and some take longer than I thought I was spending- usually the routine ones! I think I get bored and slow down with routine, so I have been switching things up, different time, order, etc. and have gotten some of my efficiency back.

In your case, you now know you get to spend a good chunk of a day away from inlaws and can realistically plan for that. Win-Win!

[Teacher Terry]

I think it is a great plan to work in your barn to escape the evil in laws )

[Chicken lady]

Well, the easing is definitely over.

spent a good chunk of time in the pottery studio today, and left my work surface clean - which I tend to not do.

subbing for the other art teacher three classes tomorrow, so instead of a half day off, it will be a full day at work. Planning to swim after - haven’t really looked at the 8 week plan again yet, but need to to keep focused/centered.