20 June 2013

I cannot believe more than a year has passed since I wrote my thoughts down somewhere other than Facebook.  It has become so easy to just jot a quick note and put up a picture.  Am hoping I can figure out how to once again get pictures onto here, because it is so much more fun that way! 

There have been many Calvinisms this year!  Maisie is done with second grade.  Greg finally got rid of a 9th grade class and picked up a Physics class, which he is really looking forward to teaching.  The school year just flew by, and now as we start summer the days are already blowing by us.

This week has been pretty busy.  Maisie left with Papa and Gogo and Gramma 'Raine for California on Monday morning-we had dinner with them at their house Sunday night and then left her there.  And then Greg went to Costa Rica with a group of kids from school on Monday night for a 10 day trip. 

So Calvy and I are left here alone.  With the bookstore.  And Lola.  And Delphi (in Lakeview).  And ripe strawberries by the thousands (in Quincy).  "Busy" would be an understatement.  My poor bear has had dinner after 9pm twice already and the outlook is pretty bleak for any earlier.  He hasn't napped at the store while we've been alone, so while I am prepping dinner, I have him shower and afterward he falls right into bed, always with a four book demand.  I whittled it down to three both nights, but he's a hard sell.  He likes his books.  That's my boy.

I was reminded of my blog by a customer, actually.  I had admitted that we ate dinner at 9 o'clock the other night, and when she was a little astonished, I had to tell her why.  There were a few reasons, and one of them makes me really glad we live in the country where no one can see into parts of our yard. 

We closed the door at DEB at 6pm.  Then we went to CrossFit, which lasted until 7:30.  Calvin was VERY good there, he went upstairs and played with my friend's kids, he only made Maddy cry once.  When we were almost done he called down that he wanted to come down, and I said ok, so he came down and sat on the couch quietly, looked out the window, watched me.  Very good. 

Then we went to Gramma's house to terrorize Delphi.  She does NOT like me.  Refuses to come out from her hiding place.  So Calvy hasn't been there very many times when I go to take care of the cat, and he didn't realize she hid.  So when we got in the door, I refilled her food and water and he stood in her room and yelled, "MOM!  There's something moving under there!" pointing at the bed.  It's the cat, I said.  Oh.  He said.  I told him to go pet her, and he went over and tried to touch her but she moved away.  I went in and pulled back the covers and she slid out and under the bed.  We finished our business there and went home.

When we got home at around 8:15, before we could make dinner, we needed to go down and check the chickens.  So naturally I glanced down there, and what do I see, but ducks.  Waddling free.  Oh boy.  So I tell Calvin to put on his boots, and I ditch my tennies for my irrigation boots.  Just so the picture is clear:  I am wearing workout capris, tshirt, and irrigation boots.  NICE.  In a moment of clarity, I yank Lola's butt into the house and grab my work gloves.  Lola chases chickens, Lily does not, so it doesn't occur to me to put Lily in, too.  I might add that I had pulled a muscle in my calf at the gym, so I also had a limp.  Grab Calvin, and down to the pasture we run.  With Lily.  Who chases our poor ducks the instant she sees them.  I scream and scream and scream and finally she returns to me.  I beat her butt and she looks chagrined.  For a second.  Until she charges after them again.  I yell at her, and when she comes to me, I grab her collar, as I am going to throw her butt in the barn to get her out of the way of this operation.  I drag her up to the door and who is sitting there looking like a gargoyle, but OSTEOPATH.  Lily sits and will NOT budge.  She hates that cat.  So I give her collar to Calvin and tell him to not let her go for anything, and I stomp inside the barn to give Osty a toss.  He (rightly) runs from me.  It's dark in the barn, but luckily he's a light color, so I can see that he runs right into the shop.  SLAM.  Took care of him.  Then I go back outside and grab Lily from Calvy and pull her into the barn and slam THAT door.  Calvin and I make it down to the pen, can't see where they've gotten out, so I pull the fence down and smash it down with the fencepost (it's a post in a cement block, so mobile with a little effort) and prepare to catch ducks.  Last time (YES there was a last time, only Ringo was out that time, and he got out on my watch, too) I chased Ringo around the pen three times and in this way, so I thought it would work.  Turns out it's different when they are both out.  Ringless trips him up and they waddle into each other.  But they want to be TOGETHER.  So Calvy and I chased them around the chicken coop a couple times, then over to the pen.  I had Calvin come to the downed portion of the fence, and told him to be big.  He put his hands up.  No.  Be WIDE!  Put your hands OUT.  He did.  Then I started walking behind the ducks, herding them around the perimeter, hopefully to the "opening" at the top end where Calvin was waiting, looking wide.  We got to the bottom, and Ringless stopped.  Then went the wrong way!  Ringo followed.  Back and forth, back and forth, separated, Oooooh!  Don't like that!  Back together.  One way.  The other way.  Now, my calf is killing me, so I'm hunched down with my arms out to herd the ducks, AND I'm limping.  I am very glad I have worn the gloves, as I tentatively reach down to grab a duck.  I pull my hands back, because I REALLY DON'T want to touch a duck!  She hasn't moved, really, so I reach down again and grab her.  Throw her over the fence into the pen.  I think now I can chase Ringo up to the opening, he knows how, we've done this once before!  So I chase for about 6 feet, limping along, and he does a 180!  He doesn't want to leave Ringless there, he wants to be with her!  So we get back to where she went over and he pokes his head through the fence here and there, back and forth....so I reach down and grab him and throw him over, too.  Done.  We win the duck chase.  Until next time.  Which I hope isn't tonight...