New Cat Litter--Warning!

You know the new cat litter, the one being advertised as being so
lightweight.  Since I can't lift the litter box anymore, I really wanted
this, wanted to reclaim my ability to do some everyday chores.

And it is Lightweight--so light  you  (and I) can lift the entire
container with one hand.  I noticed a slight perfume type scent--
nothing drastic.  My daughter and I (mostly she) set up the new
and improved lighter weight cat litter box.  Of course, Daisy didn't
use it until the middle of the night.  Both of us immediately woke
up.  Mr. Natural got out of bed and promptly chose another room
to sleep in.  I didn't blame him.  It was beyond nuclear.  The blend
of perfume, urine, poop reminded me of a cross between a super
smelly litter box and a  super sleazy w*horehouse.  Never been in
one--but the perfume; it was beyond odious!  The litter box was
changed, back to her old heavy litter, the next morning.

Lightweight--Great Idea!!  Scent---Lose the fragrance and I'll be a
customer.  Otherwise, no way.

Oh--the worst part--I was cold that night and grabbed a fleece
sweatshirt.  That day I put on the same shirt thinking it was still
clean. Then  I went with my daughter and grandson to the
grocery store.  When I got in the car, my grandson said, "what's
that smell?"  My daughter asked, "do you have on perfume?" but
face was all screwed up--Yes, I said   fragrance a la daisy litter
box.  She died laughing--I died of embarrassment.

Just a heads up for those with cats!

All for  now

Kate Thorn

How To Operate a Stove

First, it is a fancy stove.  It cost nearly 800.00 new from Lowe's.
Someone returned it saying it didn't work.  Lowe's marked it as
 "fixed" and marked it for sale at 340.00. Mr. Natural and I both love
a deal, so he bought it.  It sat in our living room (honest) a year before
we bought this house.  Something was wrong was with the plug in
connection.  We called the company that made the stove and they
sent the missing part and we were good to go--except for the manual--
which we could access online, but no physical copy.

We read over it briefly.  Thought we knew how to work it.  But no, not really.
But we muddled through it.  Until last night.  I was very tired.  His being sick
for so long and my chasing after the chickens had exhausted me and
affected my brain.  So tired I couldn't remember anything but essentials, like
meds, food, getting chickens in and out.  And I couldn't get stove to
turn on.  I reviewed the process.  Still, it wouldn't come on.  So I had
to call tech support--that being my daughter.  She was in Asheville--30
minutes away.  But she came.  She couldn't get it to work either.  But she
knew what to do.  Cut the breaker off and back on.  (Why didn't we
think of that? Maybe the shingles?  Or his gall bladder attack?)  25
minutes later I got to finally eat my Amy's organic vegetable pot pie.

Then my daughter called, laughing hysterically.  Seems I had activated
the child's locks on the stove.  I didn't even know  it had a child lock.
Now I do.  I must download at least a basic set of instructions,or we'll
never learn how to use it!

All for now

KateThorn

Ginger Chicken Goes To The Vet

The last really cold snap we had, my neighbors were worried about
my chickens and their combs.  I had read to put Vaseline on them, but
since I'm anti-petroleom byproducts, I didn't use vaseline.  After
my neighbor told me her concerns plus the fact  that her sister used it
on her chickens, I was embarrassed about being amiss in caring for
my chickens.  They enjoyed my rubbing it on, sat very still--very proper
chickens.

I was more concerned about Ginger's comb than any of the others.
Her's was damaged when she was small, so I wasn't sure how she'd
handle the cold.  The end of the first day her comb looked a little
"rusty" in color, but I thought she'd just gotten some dirt stuck to the
Vaseline.  The end  of the even colder 2nd day, her comb was black.
The next day was Monday and I made an appt with a vet.  I explained
the old injury, etc to the vet.

My daughter was skeptical.   But Ginger went into Daisy's cat carrier
easier than I thought.  Seat belted into the back seat, there she was
and when the car started moving, she started cooing more than she ever
had.  Apparently, she liked to ride in cars!  Who knew?

When we got there, I was asked her name by the secretary.  I said
Ginger,  "And her last name?"  I didn't realize chickens had last names,
so I was quite flustered and said, Ginger Chicken".  I had forgotten
that Ginger Chicken was actually a dish made with chicken.  My daughter
said, "Sounds tasty."  But it was too late to change it by then. I was
horrified. Since these chicken came into my, I no longer eat chicken
of any kind.

Ginger and I went into exam room and I got Ginger out of cage and I
held her while vet examined her.  "I think this may just be dirt"  And the
vet began to clean her comb gently.  Ginger did great.  Vet was surprised
that she she didn't have to be anesthesized to accomplished this.  I was
indignant.  "My chickens have manners--they're used to being handled."
That would sound crazy anywhere but Asheville.

Went back outside after figuring out how to get cat carrier back together,
I went outside, sitting chicken on the floor, and gave my credit card to pay,
Didn't ask how much or anything.  I was trying to ask when I dumped my
whole pocketbook's contents on the countertop.  I  finally got it put back
together, and was told that the 10 minute cleaning of'comb cost me 63.00--
howeverI did learn Never to use Vaseline--that it prevented the skin from
breathing and actually made the chicken colder.  Live and learn  and pay
for the experience. 

All for now--

Kate Thorn

How to Meet Your Neighbors

Free Range Chickens is not a way I'd recommend, but that's how
I've met most of mine--and whether I've met them or not, they all know me.
I'm the "chicken girl".  The one who rounds the chickens up for the day.
Escorts them across the highway, stopping traffic for chicken crossings.
And when the chickens eyes are on me with complete trust, and they
are barrelling down a hill oblivious to the traffic, what can you do but
get in the road and say chicken crossing,  Or watch one who fancies
herself a race car driver slide sideways into the driveway kicking up a
cloud of dust.  People ask about the chickens.  I never knew chickens
were such a fascinating topic, but they are.  The chickens were Mr.
Natural's idea.  Now I'm looking after them.

All for now--

Kate Thorn

Late Night or Epiphanies

You know how it is.  You wake up after about two hours of sleep
and you just can't sleep.  And I have a new TV--one of those kind
impossible to figure out--a smart one--that most people that aren't
tech oriented spend hours trying to figure out.  So watching TV was
of the question. 

So I got out of bed and started washing dishes.  Would be done had I
not used the dishwasher.  These are modern conveniences.  The dishwasher
holds X amount of dishes, so I complete them by hand.  So much for
time-saving.

Have you ever thought about the time saving gadgets we now have
that takes  more time to operate than the plain ordinary variety--yet
they are supposed to be "smart"--so you can tweet, email, and text--
even while driving--and there you go weaving along--what road?
Oops--missed that red light!  Crash! And my daughter was was the
lucky recipient of a totaled car!

I went 5 years without a telephone and 15 years without a TV.  I
got a smart TV for Christmas--my daughter will have to teach me how to use
it.  My  goal and incentive for this TV is to rid myself of direct
TV and their high rates.  I only watch TV in the evenings--usually my
knees and legs hurt so badly that is the length of activity for thepart of the day.

All for now--

Kate Thorn

Big Red and Madellyne

These occurred fairly close together--and there had been so much
going on.  Big Red is/was deaf.  Took me a while to figure it out,
but I did.  I started trying to watch her more closely than before.

We had gone into town and came back to find the chickens out
roaming.  I got them some freeze-dried mealy worms--their
favorite thing--and started calling them.  Here they came down
the hill with Blondie in the lead.  No Big Red.  Big Red was not
only the largest chicken but also the most goodnatured one.
Pecky picked (and pecked) on all the chickens.  Only Big Red
could stop her.  She would fly at Pecky, chest bump her, and
knock Pecky to the ground.

Since she usually stays close to home, I wasn't concerned at
first.  It started getting towards dark, and still no Big Red.
We began to look seriously for her.  We  looked everywhere.
No Big Red.  That morning was the last time we ever saw her.

We were still grieving her loss when the chickens were choosing
the next leader.  They chose Blondie.  She didn't really want it.  But
she wasn't a bully.  Madellyne, by far the prettiest chicken,
attacked Blondie.  She put up with it for a while, then, she got
angry--and turned on Madellyne.  I don't speak Chicken, but
anger was obvious.  And Madellyne ran behind a bush and hid.
Blondie let her be and backed off.  Like I said, Blondie didn't
bully the other chickens.

Madellyne made one last attempt at leadership.  It was dusk.  And
she tried to lead the chickens across the road and up the hill,
but when they heard us call, they left her on the hill alone.  I stood
outside trying to get her to come down.  She had wandered out of sight.
Mr. Natural was sure she would com back as it was very close
to dark.

We put the rest of the chickens in the tub--they hunkered down in
the bottom close to one another.  None got on the step stool, the
preferred place to perch.

Blondie was now the official leader, whether she wanted it or not.
Madellyne never returned .

Kate Thorn

Falling, Health, and More

I am very much behind..  I've had 5 falls in the past 4 weeks.  Not good at all.
Plus Mr. Natural has been very ill--as in the hosp type of ill.  He was unable to
keep food or liquids down.  It turned out to be his gallbladder. Surgery is
scheduled for  the  seventh of November.

In the meantime, I was looking after the chickens alone. Not a good idea.  Thus
the first fall when one of them got under my feet.  And down I went, shoulder
(the still injured one from a previous fall.).landing on a huge flattened rock and
my head landing on a border timber..  The chickens ran and began making
loud "keeninig"  (distress sounds) .It really hurt..  Rest of me landed on concrete.
 (Was I lucky or what?) 

Skipping 2 falls, I had trouble sleeping due to pain in hip joint--It was hurting
worse the next morning..   Since I had fallen several times and always landing
on that hip, I thought I had hairline fracture, so I went for an X-ray.  Soft
tissue bruising--that was all.  But not really;  I was in so much pain--and I
have a high pain tolerance-but this was  worse than having a baby, so I went
to the clinic,  And I have shingles--and 2 more falls to count.  I am on
flexeril now.   My last fall was last night--I had just got out of bed; my left
knee went out and down I went, but I had just stood up and was still facing
the wall.  I was in a tight spot, but I managed to scoot to the end of the bed
and then pulled my way back to upright..

Kate Thorn