What A Monday

I was done with Monday by 8:30 this morning.

I can’t remember if I mentioned Ginger (one of the hens) was sick or not. I know I mentioned it on Facebook. 99% sure I mentioned it here – she was the one we had to give antibiotics.

I’ve learned my lesson now – fecal float test first, always. Ginger has ‘relapsed’, and it has been confirmed by my non-chicken-vet/best friend that it is coccidiosis (this is why it’s so worth it to have a veterinarian as a friend). If you want to know more about this lovely, frustrating parasite (on the protozoa level), The Chicken Chick has a very informative post about it. I’m also very grateful that we found a store locally that had Corid, so I was able to start treating the entire flock first thing Sunday morning.

In addition to the chicken…

The washing machine died on Friday. I discovered this when I washed a heavy blanket, and the spin cycle never… spun. The verdict is the transmission, and at this point I should just replace the washing machine.

The hitch is that good, reliable washing machines are way outside of our budget. So, I’m seriously considering this:

I would need a wringer to go with it, too, though. Because I wrung out pillowcases by hand the other night. I don’t want to do that again. Also, the Wonder Wash couldn’t handle my quilts and heavy blankets, and I’m not sure about the curtains. But those are also things I don’t need to wash very often, so I could always just use a friend’s washing machine 2-3x/year in exchange for home-grown/made goodies.

Part of me is morbidly curious and wants to see how much I might save on the electric and water bills. I’m going to at least sleep on it, though. Maybe. The sooner I order it, the sooner I can catch up on the laundry.

At least the dryer still works. And I have a clothesline, too, if all else fails.

And in addition to the chicken and the washing machine…

Bear hurt his foot again, but this time it is his back foot instead of the front one. He won’t put weight on it at all, and I think he definitely sprained it worse than the first one. I think he probably slipped and twisted it funny this morning, it was raining quite a bit so I wouldn’t be surprised if he lost his footing. I frequently lose my footing in the yard after heavy rain, too.

Despite everything, I’ve tried to have a good day.

I think I’ve succeeded.

I spent a few hours watching the last available workshops from the free Home Grown Food Summit that was held online this past week. I meant to post about it before it started for any of my interested readers, but it just didn’t happen, so sorry! But I enjoyed what I got to ‘attend’ of it, though there were a couple of sessions I didn’t get to see that I really wanted to. Oh well.

I’ve spent time snuggling with the above-mentioned injured puppy, and with the kitty, and really the only thing I haven’t done today that I really wanted to was some reading.

Because I caved and finally bought and downloaded the final season of Warehouse 13, because I’ve been wanting to watch it FOREVER.

Speaking of which, it is so time for me to get back to that.

I hope your Monday has gone better than mine!

Recent Comments

  • Maria Zannini
    April 13, 2015 - 7:26 pm · Reply

    Sorry to hear about Ginger, but I’m more concerned about Bear.

    Have you manipulated his ankle and elbow to check for pain? I’d also feel in between his toes to see if he had gotten a burr or thorn stuck.

    My other concern is that you mentioned he could’ve slipped. Dogs are really sure-footed. If this is the second time he’s hurt himself I’d start looking for an underlying problem. There might be more to this injury than meets the eye.

    Keep us posted. Good luck.

    • Rebekah Loper
      April 13, 2015 - 7:57 pm · Reply

      I felt between his toes, his belly and all his feet were caked in mud this morning, so I hauled him into the tub and checked everything while I scrubbed him.

      A little later in the afternoon, when he’d let me look at his leg more thoroughly, I could tell that his foot was slightly swollen, so I don’t think it’s a joint problem higher up.

      He could’ve slipped, no matter how sure footed he is, because the ‘stoop’ right outside the garage door gets soooo slick when it rains. The concrete there combined with mud is treacherous. I’ve been meaning to, at the very least, bury it under a few solid inches of wood mulch just to give it traction, but I haven’t had a chance yet.

  • Lori L MacLaughlin
    April 13, 2015 - 7:52 pm · Reply

    Sorry to hear about your rotten day. I’m glad you were able to find out what was wrong with the chicken so you could treat it. I hope you get your laundry situation straightened out and have a better week!

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About Rebekah

Rebekah Loper writes character-driven epic fantasy featuring resilient women in trying and impossible circumstances who just want to save themselves but usually end up saving the world, often while falling in love.
She lives in Tulsa, OK with her husband, dog, two formerly feral cats, a small flock of feathered dragons (...chickens. They're chickens), and an extensive tea collection. When she's not writing, she battles the Oklahoma elements in an effort to create a productive, permaculture urban homestead.