The Accident Aftermath....

Out with the old.....

(like loosing a good co-worker you spent 5 years with)

In with the new....

( like getting a new faster exciting co-worker)

Alive and Well

Well, its been a month and I am happy to say we have not lost any more chickens. I have found replacement chickens at various stores/farms around the southern state, and my flock is doing well. There is only one problem now... I think I have a cock in the group. (Yes, I did enjoy typing that!) One of the chickens is looking like a rooster! If we hear a cock-a-doodle-doo, "he" will have to be taken back to the store along with $15 to find him a good home. I will either do that, or abandon him at Knotts Berry Farm to live a life of amusement. I think I will take "him" to the store. They sleep outside (in their coop) now and I have an electric fence system that comes on at dusk. Ruckus will not go anywhere near the side of the house. I think he learned his lesson with one shock. I also rigged an automatic water bowl to fill up when the sprinklers come on so they are pretty low maintenance now:)

MASSACRE II

They say that rapists and serial killers can not be rehabilitated. Such is the case of a mass-murdering dog. After therapeutic sessions with the shock collar, Ruckus will not go in the garage where the first mass-murder happened. The chickens have been playing outside during the day in their coop and run. Then I bring them in at night. There is one security breach in the coop and that is: when the double door locks are locked they can easily be undone if the door is pushed from the inside out. Dan picked up a new lock today and we were going to install it this afternoon. Before we got to it, Ruckus figured out the breach. As Ashley walked into the back yard, she saw her chick (alive) swimming in the pool. She ran to the side of the house to see Emily's chick dead in the walkway. She ran to get me and I found another chick dead in the coop and one alive in the garden. Ruckus got a spanking and was put in his kennel. I don't know if I will replace the chicks... I will try (even though Dan forbids it). The flock I had was perfect. They all got along really well and were the same age. They slept on each other and were very close. After "the incident" the dominant chick was calling for the others:( We will see...... It is tough to get older chicks and I don't feel like starting over with 2 more baby chicks in the garage. Next week they were to be outside full time. Electric fencing goes up next weekend! How many little lives must be lost before I figure out how to be a chicken farmer? Maybe I will light the Santo San Miguel Candle that was left on our steps and put it on the chicken graves tonight.

Santo San Miguel on our Doorstep

Yesterday....In a sick attempt to draw attention to the accident in front of our house and get people to slow down.... We drew a chalk body outline amongst the skid marks. It has been hilarious to see the stares as people drive by. Tonight, as Dan was closing windows in the house he glanced outside to see a glimmer on our front step. Someone had left a Mexican Candle and Flowers!

275 Foot Skid Marks

It was a windy day, and as I drove up from an appointment, Dan was in front of the house flying a kite with Emily & her friend Tana. Dan was slightly blocking the driveway and Reed had already put out the trash cans for tomorrow, so I decided to park in front of the house. Every time I park in front of the house the thought goes through my head. Someone could hit the Mercedes if it is parked on the street. I figured Dan would move it later. I ran inside because I had an emergency Bankruptcy filing to do for my business. If I didn't get it filed and call off the Trustee's sale by 5:00, tomorrow morning the clients would loose their home to foreclosure. So I started working. No more than 10 minutes later, I hear screeching and skidding. I thought it was up the street. I look out the window to see a car smashed into Dan's parked car. On the other side of the car were Dan, Emily and Tana. My first reaction was "Crap, someone hit Dan's Car!" then I saw where Dan & Emily were and realized the car saved their life! We called 911, the 20 year old kid in the car got out to look at the damage. He was ok. The cops came out and for the next 2 hours measured the 275 foot skid marks that started at the end of the street and continued with the car bobbling from side to side, on 2 wheels at times, and ended 4 houses down in front of our house hitting the car and spinning around from the force. The other car must have been going 50MPH when he hit Dan's car. IDIOT! The kid had gotten the car 1 week ago, and it was obvious he felt really bad. I hope he learns a lesson and I am glad to still have my family in one piece.

San Diego Zoo

Yesterday we took the kids to the San Diego Zoo for a little outing. We havn't been for 7 years so it was a new experience for the kids. I would say Reed and Emily enjoyed it the most. Emily was forever obsessed with seeing the panda and after she saw the panda, she was forever obsessed with buying a panda. Reed loved all things otter and meerkat. Ashley liked the tortise and Heidi had no favorites and wanted to go home.

The Chicken Saga Continues.....

A day after the ruthless murders of the chickens and after a few hours of mourning, we decided it was best to get more chicks. I had not built that coop in vain! And no dog is stopping me from my dream of fresh eggs and clucking hens! So... I picked up the kids from school and was prepared to drive up to LA (to the only place where I knew they had chicks). As I was in the drive-through at the bank, it occured to me that it was close to Easter time and maybe a feed store in Dana Point had them by now. I called to check and they said they had just gotten in 150 chicks today. So I sped down and picked up 4 new ones. They all were the exact ones I wanted with the exception of the miniatures I had ordered. The kids were happy, and I was glad to back in the chicken business. However, I was set back another 2 weeks the chicks had to be in the garage. Heidi was able to take them to her preschool without having to relate the whole ordeal to her fellow 3/4 year old classmates.