04

       After Tuesday's weather, I hope we've seen the last of winter. We had rain, thunder, lightening, wind, sleet, hail and snow.....all in one day! We've been warming up every day since and today is sunny with an expected high near 80. It's wonderful. The kids on the bus are sure enjoying it and getting sillier by the day. Good thing the nice weather improves my patience, too.
       The chooks are really growing and they sure are right at home in the coop now. I drug the frame from the loveseat of an old outdoor set we were going to get rid of into the run. It's turned out to be kind of a jungle gym for them. They go zipping under it, over it, through it and perch on all the levels. Tim thought I was nuts when he caught me dragging it through the gate, but has to admit it's worked out great. Their personalities are really becoming evident and the ring leader (Esmarelda) is my favorite. She's very bold, a little bossy and very, very curious. Twice this week I've had to fish her out of the hanging feeder where she'd gotten herself stuck trying to beat the crowd to the food, I guess. They are all so fun to watch when I let them out into the run in the morning. They all start taking these little flying leaps all over the run and land on each other, which sends the landee squawking into flight only to land on the next victim. It's all very silly and they seem to be having a great time. I've learned to wait till they wear themselves out to enter the run or I'm liable to get a face full of chicken!
       Tim took my rooster to work this week. The plumbing subcontractor on the job lives on a farm and had recently lost his rooster. He was only too happy to be given one for free. Tim said the man was appropriately impressed with Hannibal's size and beauty and didn't like seeing him in that little cage so let him out. Tim was amazed that Hannibal stayed on the job site all day and that everyone there fussed over him and fed him. I guess the old bird really was in his glory and enjoyed every minute. He didn't even give the plumber any trouble about catching him at the end of the day. I am so happy my boy went to a good home.
       Yesterday I had to run home after my morning bus route to get Megan another pair of pants. When she got to school they told her the shorts she was wearing were too short. I was not pleased. She came out to my bus to show me at the school and they reached her finger tips when her arms were down, just like the handbook says. Anyway, I gave the school a piece of my mind when I took the pants into the office. I just could not believe they fussed over her in modest denim shorts and a t-shirt when I haul girls every day in skirts so short they have to hold them down when they walk to keep from exposing themselves. ( I asked my husband how old he thought the one girl was at a volleyball game and he said 18-20. Wrong. Try 13, but you'd never know it from the short skirt, push-up bra and perfectly made up face.) Grrrrr. Lot of good my rant did me, they just looked at me like I was a nut. What are we teaching our kids when the "beautiful, popular" people don't have to follow the same rules as the rest of us?
       To add insult to injury, or at least to further darken my mood, when I came out of the school there was a huge puddle of antifreeze coming from under my car. When I started it up, sure enough, it was running hot. I babied it to the bus garage, where I was stuck for the rest of the day. I took my frustrations out washing buses since I was stuck. One of the other drivers gave me a ride home in the afternoon. When Tim got home we went to look at it. We'd been figuring a hose blew but couldn't find any leaks. What he did find was that the fan wasn't blowing. If he jiggled something, the fan would run, but as soon as he took his hand away it stopped. He put antifreeze in and babied it all the way home with no problem. I am driving it back and forth to work today, but Tim is going to call about that part today. Hopefully it is easy to get....and cheap. I don't trust the car to go any further than work so another woman from work is going to take Megan to Blairsville this afternoon for me. Megan's meeting up with Tim's sister and going to Hershey with her and her family this weekend. Matt was invited, too, but decided not to go because he didn't want to miss volleyball practice tonight and most importantly, he wants to go tux shopping for the prom tomorrow.
       We got our grass mowed for the first time this week. It's needed it for a couple of weeks, but whenever we've had time it's either been raining or soggy because of rain. I'm sure my neighbor, who mows his three times a week (even during a drought) and cuts it clear down to just stubs, is relieved it's finally done. So am I. With his grass so short all the time, ours looks like a jungle even when it's freshly mowed. I need to get out and start weeding and hand trimming next. The roses we planted are starting to show some growth. The blue one is doing especially well. I am eager to see it bloom. Other than in pictures I don't think I've ever seen a blue rose. The new hostas are coming up, too, and with the tall grass cut I found out my bleeding heart came back and it's blooming. We may have to take out the lilac though. Half of the tree died this year. It's pretty scrawny looking.
       Lots to do before I head back to work so I'd best wrap this up.
       Carpe diem!