A Light at the End of the Congestion ... Or Something

Actually beginning (slowly and grudgingly) to feel human again.

Got up fairly early for a Saturday. Ran down to the post office and picked up John's algebra correspondence course, then scooted to the bank, hardware store and office supply store in town. Needed to deposit money in the bank, get some bird suet and wood screws from the hardware store, and a binder for John's course from the office supply place.

I was pretty surprised I wasn't totally wasted by the activity when I got back, so I went outside and put together six more frames for the chicken coop. Each frame is six feet by six feet, and there'll be a six-foot cross-brace within each frame for support. Bad news is that I need a bit more wood for frames, and some 2x4s for the coop floor. I also need to take some old bricks and plant them underneath the coop so rodents can't get to the peeps from underneath.

Speaking of the peeps.

They are getting to be bold little critters, I'll give them that much. I went into the bathroom this morning, and there were eight (!) perched above the brooder. Another three were having a small chicken conversation in back of the brooder. I sneezed, and everyone ran to the back of the brooder faster than teens at a busted keg party.

John was bopping around all day. He went for three walks and claimed to still be bored. So I gave him algebra, and he finished half of the first module. There are six modules in the entire course, so I'm stoked. We talked a little bit about the idea of doing his tough classes (math, science) at home via correspondence course and taking his fun classes (English, history) at school. He seems open to trying it. I'll hope his school counselors are equally open-minded.

It always works. I started baking bread and ziti in hopes of drawing Will out of his room at some point. Sure enough, he just popped his head out long enough to have a discussion over the possibility of his taking a computer programming correspondence course. He took one in the Large Metro Area That We Fled Screaming From, but he didn't learn much, since the teacher was forever drafting him as her assistant.

The bread turned out pretty good. I used plain white flour with about two cups of seven-grain, so it's a bit on the crunchy side. And I feel like a bit of a slacker for not grinding spelt, but, eh. I've still got a bit of a sore throat. So cut me a break.

All in all, can't complain too much. I'll haul trash to the transfer station tomorrow morning, go for a short run (I hope), and Lisa and I will head into Keene. She needs some clothes, and I need some more chicken coop wood.

If I get really ambitious, I might ride my bike to my run.