Industrious day...

Yesterday I felt quite industrious all day. Freezing rain was predicted for today, so as soon as I got up I cleaned out the donkey and goat rooms. Bad weather means the animals spend a lot of time inside, so I wanted them to have clean digs. After that, Chris and I had breakfast and created the grocery store list. By 10 AM, Rachel and I were at the Appleton Fire Department, trimming nails on dogs to raise money for the volunteers there.This was in conjunction with the annual Rabies Vaccine clinic. We made $170 for them in two hours, not too shabby.

Once back home I cleaned the duck and chicken coops. Then I came inside and started cooking. One of the local groomers just had a baby, and I wanted to take her and her husband a meal so they wouldn't have to cook. I roasted one of our home raised chickens with some squash, made mashed potatoes, and added some delicious chocolate cake that Rachel had made. Meanwhile, I made a tandem meal, because we had company coming. I roasted a second chicken, with a different recipe. Chris made cocktail shrimp, I served some of the amazing mushroom goat cheese my nice neighbor sent down, Rachel and Evans brought delicious cucumber salad, and there was that chocolate cake, too. No one was hungry after all that.

I used the crystal napkin rings I bought at a flea market over a year ago for the first time.I had tucked them away and forgotten about them, but uncovered them recently and trotted them out. I wish I could find more of them, they are so pretty. 

I had a personal first. I didn't have to do any house cleaning to get ready for company. Normally I invite people over, then have to vacuum, dust, etc. before they arrive. But this time the house was company ready. All I had to do was cook.This made me feel wildly successful. It's only taken me 59 years to get to this point, and who knows if I will ever manage it again? >sigh< 

This was a huge chicken (12 lbs!) and the skin got a bit overdone during the long baking, but no one seemed to care.

When I did animal chores this morning it was 36 degrees and pouring rain. Not the predicted ice storm, thank goodness, but un-lovely just the same. I delivered hay to the goats and donkeys, ("Room Service!" I tell them) so they could stay dry. The goats got a flake of alfalfa hay as a treat. They love this stuff, and I can tell how happy they are because they hum when they eat it. "Mmmm, mmmm," they mutter, as they chew. I stood a while listening to the rain on the metal roof and the contented animal sounds.

Then I came inside, feeling contented myself. I tidied up from last nights supper, and settled in on the love seat in front of the fire. The house was quiet, the room scented by the perfume from a hyacinth I treated myself to.

I find Maine winters are nicer if I bring in blooming things to remind me that spring is just around the corner.

Today will be opposite of yesterday. I will read and rest and write a little. I'll take a nap. Balancing laziness with industry seems a good weekend plan.