What a weekend

So now you are wondering where is the picture of the finished coop?
Am I saving it to make you wonder?
Nope---it's not there because we had problems this weekend and did not get the coop finished. So much for making "guarantees" to ourselves.
What went wrong you ask? Well, it was nothing more complicated than---WIND.
Windy, windy wind at that. So windy that things in the yard that seemed too heavy to blow around had to be chased down and weighted or strapped so they would stay where they were supposed to be. We tried working for a bit but ladders of course fell over and you couldn't carry anything that was flat---which was both the siding and roofing material. If my husband had attempted to roof I would have had to jump in the car to follow as best I could until he had landed some where probably miles down the road (actually he would have just gotten hurt --hence our lack of attempt.) Sunday morning was also windy---though not as bad. So around lunch time, as it died down even more, we were able to start and get a small amount done---but then it picked back up and added cold to the factor later than afternoon. So what you see is not even half a days work. We forgot a few small things that needed doing so we did those too. And of course we also realized we needed that quick "mandatory" run to the hardware place for something forgotten that was needed then---all and all a fairly unproductive weekend I would say. BUT--it's coming along and really doesn't need much more. If we can get some good weather it won't take long. Of course today is calm and quiet as a sleeping baby---now that I am the only one here to work on it. I will probably go buy that paint I keep forgetting and at least paint what is already up. We were going to paint the siding before putting it up since it is easier, but disregarding that I forgot the paint---it would have only had leaves and twigs and dirt stuck to it this weekend anyways so....
Well, it's funny ( in an ARGH! kind of way )how nothing ever goes as quickly as you anticipate.

Karen -- you asked me about my vines I spoke of the other day and unfortunately yes, I do have the same experience as you have had with the chickens tearing up the plantings. So this time (for once) I pre planned well enough to have an outside spot to plant the vines for the coop. The main door on the coop actually opens to my veggies and the side door for them opens to their own "special" area. So they won't be able to tear up my plants--like my neighbors "free ranging" chickens do currently around my house. My neighbors need to learn what free ranging really means---and range them freely at their own house and not mine. Maybe they could do that with their dog too.

The other picture up there is the door I found the other day. That is the side the chickens will see---my side is cream. It will eventually be painted brown on my side to match our new windows on the house. I know---crazy color scheme but until we can remove the gray blue vinyl siding put on by the previous owners off part of our house and then repaint a better color---that is what we are stuck with. What's so odd about that color is that-----we have orange/ dark brown brick! Obviously some people have different opinions on color matching than I do :-)


Last but not least---yes I spilled tea in my key board this weekend. Of course I got out as much as possible only to have the space key not work. I thought I would wait until it dried and then see if it worked. It didn't---first push and it stuck in the down position ( I guess from the sugar---I didn't think I used that much) So later that night my husband carefully takes off the space key to clean it and ZING out pop the springs and flew off into the carpet. Well to make a long story short---we found one but not number two. It won't work with just one so he got a mixed package of springs from our "crap"drawer and jury rigged one up for me. It is a stronger spring so now it is about 100 times harder to hit the space key. Until he gets me another keyboard----I will be developing my bionic thumb. So you better not challenge me to thumb wrestling---because I will beat you.