This Week

We have had a busy week of recovering, school, cross country, and chicken killing.

Ok, I will start with the most unusual of the group: chicken killing! Several months ago, the kids got to pick out a baby chick at the Feed N Seed in New Albany. We brought them home and planned to raise them, hoping they were hens... Well, we ended up with 3 roosters and a hen!

The roosters have gotten large enough to make Chanticleer feel threatened, and they have been wearing him out! He spends most of his day chasing them away from his girls and trying to fight them. Stressed out hens do not lay as many eggs, and this was becoming evident.

Last Saturday, in the midst of sermon preparation, Scott decided to de-stress our hens! We had been talking about it for a while, but he kept noticing how much Chanticleer was fending off our hens from impending Rooster Rendezvous. He went outside, herded the roosters into the chicken coop, grabbed them one at a time, and cut their heads off!

(One rooster managed to escape, and it is funny to see how humbled he has been these past few days! No shenanigans at all!)

Scott brought them on inside, plucked them, gutted them, seasoned them up, and cooked them for dinner! When the kids and I got home from a birthday party, there was fresh chicken in the oven... VERY FRESH!!! It was just a little bit chewy, but our friend told us later that "yard birds" are "dumpling birds," and not really good for roasting. We will know better when Rooster #3's time is up.

I can't find my camera, and so I don't have any pictures to go with this post! Drat! It is somewhere... I just need to take the time to find it...

Anyway, we are all finally healthy and back to life as usual at the Duley house... whatever that means!

BMC cross country is going well... first weeks are always awkward, but I think I know where the copy machine is, where to take postage stuff, etc. I ordered some BMC t-shirts, and I am excited to get some school spirit going on!

Last night we had the runners over for supper and "Cross Country Class#1." We talked about the stages of training and our overall plan for the summer and fall season. Scott did a devotion with us all, and the evening was very enjoyable. I am blessed to have a great group of athletes (actually two of them... Spartans AND Toppers!) to work with!

This morning we had Yoga at 6:00 AM, and this evening is the Father/Daughter banquet for the girls and Scott. I MUST find my camera, and I will post pictures of the girls and their daddy! Thursday is the first spring practice for the Spartans, so we have a busy week! I have a lot to do tomorrow, but I am excited to see all of my runners!