Chicken Wings and Kamboocha

Thanks Rick, for the name idea, with special side note that maybe my post would come up for people who are googling chicken wing recipes :p

Chicken Wings gained new meaning for me today, meaning clipping chicken wings, of live chickens. This seemed like a torturous task at first, but grabbing and then clipping the chickens (with garden sheers, I might add) wasn't even that mean, or that hard! I had some trouble at first being authoritative to the chickens and just grabbing them without being scared away by their flapping wings, but by chicken number 3 I had it down. We clipped the wings of the chickens so they can't fly over the top of their pen and get eaten by raccoons (one of which we are trying to catch and drown D: ) or other pesky animals because 28 have been eaten already! I also mucked out their coop today which was quite shitty... literally (maybe if I start swearing in my blogs I'll start doing it in real life?). I shoveled out all of the old, stinky newspaper and replaced it with fresh paper which was very satisfying after the back breaking work was over. It was hard because the coop is so small and the shovel was so long I would end up running the end of it into something or me and just making it hard to move.

There are a lot of kids here, which I love, and I can't wait for Galen and Zekiah (Sarah and Rick's kids) to get back from their trip. Rick and I had dinner alone tonight as Sarah was out with "the girls" celebrating her birthday, and we cooked up a delicious soup from some things that were laying around. After dinner came the Koombacha. Now, the only reason that this name sounded familiar to me was that my crazy mother drinks it. We had to make and steep the tea and then add it to the fermenting bacteria which is this large jelly-like disc called a scoby which makes the tea much more sour and bubbly. It's quite an interesting process, and though I really respect Koombacha as a beverage, I can't see myself drinking it more than every once in a while, but I have the recipe now!!

To finish off a great first day, Rick and I went in the hot tub and then jumped in the col shower and back in the hot tub again. I felt like a dessert: maybe a warm brownie with cold vanilla ice cream, and my skin was my tongue experiencing the two temperatures as they bounced off of one another.

Other info:
I am getting a zit on my chin.
I feel really guilty about not exercising today, but I just couldn't find the time... snoozing my alarm was the worst decision I could have made :(
Quaker is the religion that intrigues me the most right now... I am really excited about exploring it more
Second hand stores are the best!! I was to buy all of my dishes and kitchen supplies there when I'm older... I wish we had more in the states. Sarah bought some lamp shades today that she is going to cover, and a hideous needlepoint she is going to cut the fabric off of and make a chalk board out of a frame. She is also in the process of making a "family tree" shower curtain... she is so creative!

Also-- When we were in the city for the wedding, we went to see a former Smithsonian exhibit at the JP Morgan Library about Lists, and I have decided I am going to set up my life in lists because they capture important things, and summarize what is on your mind. I just love making lists! So, I would like to finish with my most recent list:
How to get to Wildside Farm on Bench rd. in Duncan, BC:
1) Wake up SUPER early (3:50 AM), necessarily early for a 6 am flight, but get to the airport and realize your flight doesn't leave until 7 (story of my life)
2) Struggle to get comfortable on the plane (because you absolutely need to sleep after only getting 4 hours last night) and finally give up, spending $3.00 on a paper thin blanket and a blow up pillow (yes, I was resting my head on a balloon)
3) Sleep most of the way and start Soul Surfer just as the plane is landing, but fast forward through the part where the shark bites her arm off (once in my life is enough to watch that part)
4) Get flustered at customs during the interrogation, even though I'm doing nothing wrong
5) Buy a bus ticket, eat a bagel from somewhere that starts with an H?
6) Board the bus to Victoria and listen to the entertaining family behind me (young couple and 2 year old son from Georgia)/play with the baby a little bit
7) Bus gets on ferry, wander around wishing you had people to talk to, try to sit outside before deciding it's too cold, complyingly look at the Killer Whales after an announcement is made on the loudspeaker and wonder why you're not more excited about it
8) Board the bus again and arrive at a teeny tiny station in Victoria
9) Book greyhound to Duncan (doesn't leave for 2 hours), ask the lady if you can store your bag, and when she says no defiantly drag it around Victoria
10) Buy and eat Chocolate Covered Marshmallows, a dark chocolate Mogul (caramel/almond/chocolate cluster) and 2 scoops of gelato on a cone
11) Take pictures of random scenery, contemplate taking selfies but feel dumb
12) Drag suitcase back to the bus station and ride to Duncan
13) Wait around at the bus station, but are finally greeted by two of the most warm people you have ever met
14) On the ride home find out you and Sarah share the same birthday, and have Rick offer to take you to the bar since you will be legal ;)
15) Arrive at Paradise

Sarah just came in and gave me a birthday hug after her night out... it is nearly 3 AM in NJ after all. She said her friends all made wishes for her, and even though she is turning 42 they said they hope this is only half way through their friendship together. I know they will be friends until 84, she is everything wonderful. I hope I have friends like that.

With that, as my good friend and mentor at Lake Placid Synchro camp would say: Good Night Moon, and Cailin, if it's ok with you I would like to sign my blog this way...

Good Night Moon-- it's a wonderful life :)
xoxox