Silence is golden.

I was working on a new post three days ago when I heard the sickening sound of my children screaming across the house. I immediately started to prickle and sweat. What has happened? Who is hurt?

"They're here! Mom! They're here!" my children were now running into me carrying a little box that was chirping. "Oh! Great Scott! The chickens arrived a day early!"

We quickly dragged the blue baby pool onto the screened porch and filled the waterer with sugar and water. We unloaded 26 little peeping chicks. You get one extra just in case, you know, the trip was a bit too much for one. We dipped each beak in the water and they drank and drank and drank until when we picked them up they spewed water out they're beaks.

Some are very distinct. Like Edna, she quickly became our favorite. She looks more like an owl than a chicken. She likes to be held, especially by Ellen. So far they are doing great and they all love me.

The really cute thing is how fascinated my husband is with them. Right at this moment he's sitting out on the porch, just watching the chicks. We went out last night and instead of getting ready for bed when we got home, he had to go stare at the chicks for a while.

I put in most of my garden today. What a thrill to figure out what to plant next to what. New to the garden this year are potatoes, pumpkins, ornamental gourds, beets, radishes and onions. I hope it does well. I'll try to post a few pictures of the garden in progess and of Edna.

Tomorrow I'm going to put in a new walk in the front of the house. I have a feeling I'll be dog tired at the end of the day.

My dad is coming to visit on his way through to somewhere. He's a bicyclist and his season has just started. He's also on a mission to ride his bike in every county in the lower 48 states. He's probably 1/3 or more done. Impressive and strange this goal of his is. I'm just happy he's doing something healthy in his retirement.

The "new lifestyle" is going okay. I've had a few weak moments like the box of eclairs that I stuck back in the freezer to avoid eating. I ate several of them anyway even though it hurt my jaw to break through the frozen cream. I've lost five pounds which is nice. Now I need to start a regular workout program so if I loose any more weight my skin won't be flapping in the breeze.

That's it from here, have a loverly weekend.