Chicken Taj, Native Help and Sodium Benzoate

Now that's an eclectic header.

Got to sleep a little late last night, so I drove into town for the bike repair workshop instead of riding. So much for my 36-mile bike ride plan. Still worthwhile, though. Learned quite a bit about bike adjustment and repair.

After a quick stop at the grocery, I went home and started banging on the coop again. These things always take longer than you think they will. I had to adjust one of the fences, bury some more chicken wire, hang a feeder and watering stand, staple wire around the inside of the coop, put fresh hay in the coop and lower the door just a bit. Took me four or five hours; by the time I finished, it started raining. Ack.

The good news is, I've just got to put netting over the top of the coop tomorrow, and they're good to go outside. My trees seem to have survived the night -- I planted some maples, dogwood, birch and spruce around the coop.

Not sure what I'll do for training tomorrow. I'll probably run in the morning and swim. Will just have to hope that the tourists don't swarm the pool. Thought about a long bike ride, but they'll all be leaving town at the same time, so that's probably not a great plan.

I also have to bake some bread. Not want to. Have to.

Miscellanea du jour:

*** The NYT has a story on Maine and other states offering tuition waivers to Natives. I think it's a great idea, just fantastic. Of course, it's limited to "recognized" tribes. And it's a bit late for me, but maybe not for John and Will.

*** Re the above, I know: Entitled, much? Check out Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee on HBO (which justified a Sopranos postponement). I still can't get through Dee Brown's original book in one sitting without losing my temper. Maybe more people will order it and get a clue. A tuition waiver is a small gesture.

*** Grim news on the medical front. Sodium benzoate. So now my Diet Coke causes Parkinson's and all kinds of fun degenerative diesases. Who knew? I'm doomed.

Much, much, much to do tomorrow. Run, swim, netting, tilling, baking. If I get half of it done, I'm ahead of the game.