I mean, why not

Life is tricky

What to do. What not to do. So many choices in this big beautiful life. And one of my favorite parts of this amazing thing we call life is making decisions for myself because girl, you know I'm gonna be myself. After all, everyone else is already taken. 

drive.google.com

You have questions....Yes, Lauren is building her house. And yes, we are okay. If I may, I want to say that this process is an exploration expedition. It's a financial possibility for a number of reasons. I may move. I may not move. I may sell. I may not sell. I won't sell unless it's for the right amount of $. There is no certainty in any of this. Just a lot of work to get to this point. Work that's needed (and that I've wanted) to be done around the house and the property and I can tell you first hand that putting your home on the market will light a fire under you. In my case, it was a 5 alarm fire and I've got it all under control now and the flames are all out and no one got hurt. Things are painted, picked up, tossed out, and I'm so happy about it all that it makes me not want to sell. But I've committed to it and signed on the dotted line, so here I am. Who knows WHAT is going to happen, but I can tell you that the showings are happening and this on-the-market thing just started last Thursday. I'll have to wait to see if anything comes of this. Only God knows my destiny, so I'll sit tight while it all shakes out. Oh, and allow random people to walk through my house. And surprisingly, no one seemed interested in my egg business 😉 Let’s pretend someone does want to buy my place, I have my eye on a 20 acre farm in Wolfe City and yes, everybody would move with me and I’ll take Brooks too if Lauren would let me. Not sure if it’s meant for me yet but I’ll find out eventually.

Mama Mia

My new stray, Mia (whose not actually a mama) is doing amazing. Simply amazing. She's become an intrical part of the pack around here. I think she's half livestock guard dog as she enjoys the 4 big dogs outside (mostly Penny) as I readily see her out there hanging out when I'm home - and at work.

I watch her (on the Ring, while I'm at work) with Penny.
So sweet 💜

I also watch her on the Ring out there with Char, too 💛

Mia really enjoys her relationship with Crazy Charlotte

Yet, she's half indoor dog who loves a couch. 

These two

I've learned she's about 2 1/2 years old, which is so very close in age to both Penny and Charlotte who happen to be her 2 best friends. 

She's been such a blessing and it's hard to believe how fast she's adjusted to life out here. It's like she's been here all along. And I know it sounds crazy when I say this, but I always knew she would come back. I felt it in my heart ever since July, that I would see her again. And she's finally home. For good this time.

I’m not sure what Char would do without you, Mia.

I love the love between both Penny and Mia - and Char and Mia. Funny how all of the dog pack loves her. Even Maybe is okay with her. Mia has a sweet, kind and playful spirit about her. She's such a goofball and I mean that with fondness. Who doesn't love the goofball in a group of friends?! 

And this girl can eat. It's going to take some
time to get her weight back up, but she's 
getting there.

Brother Dutch

Not that long ago, my sweet girl Penny had a abdominal mass that I had the Vet check out and after surgery (actually a FNA) and medications, I finally got that situation ironed out and Penny healed up and is doing great. Then recently Levi showed up with a missing piece of the end of his tail. A farm visit was necessary from the Vet because Levi does not do car rides. Insert cha-ching noise. And he's still on antibiotics and is being watched for a possible partial tail amputation depending on the outcome of his healing.

Now Dutch (Penny’s brother). He went missing for 2 days and came back with this nonsense on his back right leg.

Ouch

Granted, I came home from work last Friday evening and found him in this situation. I was SO glad to see him but was shocked at what I was seeing on his leg. What to do? Take him to a emergency vet clinic? Call my Vet? I decided to wait until Saturday morning and give my own Vet a call. Luckily, Dr Shelton was able to see Dutch on Saturday morning and then Dutch had surgery Saturday afternoon to clean up his wound and see if it was a bullet or what the nature of this injury was. The Vet said it was a fresh wound, and must have happened while Dutch was out-and-about Thursday and/or Friday. It's all very ominous and although the Vet said he was unable to find a bullet in him, he did say that this wound traveled 5 inches up his leg and was not sure exactly what had happened. Dutch is not talking either, so I doubt I'll ever know the true story. 

It's all fun and games until someone ends up
with a cone

Dutch is happy but not happy about being confined in the Cat House area, and seems somewhat content on the soft dog bed to relax (and heal) on in the meantime. How about we just call it a staycation. There will be no guarding farm animals and instead, room service. 

This will hopefully only be a few days (maybe a week?) while his owie heals up enough for him to get back out in the pasture. What that really means is that he's on leave until he heals up enough to not lick and make it worse. He's on light duty watching the cats move around him in the shed and is taking antibiotics, pain meds and an anti-inflammatory until further notice. I must say he's doing well over all and I'm so very grateful that my amazing Vet was able to get him all fixed up over the weekend. Dutch ended up staying Saturday overnight at the vet clinic and I was able to pick him up Sunday. I'm so happy he's home and doing well. Sometimes I feel like I've gone for years with no livestock guard dog issues - then BAM - let's all get hurt and need surgery. That sounds like fun. Turns out this is my circus and those are my monkeys. 

 

Finding comfort

There's always one place I go to for comfort in my life....my family. In particular, my sis.

On this special day, we flew to go visit 
mom and dad

Sheryl and I took a day trip to San Benito to go visit these two cuties:

I know every day how fortunate that
my parents are still with us

This day was one for the books. Sheryl and I adventured out in the world together and had the best time. She even wore a chicken-themed t-shirt and brought one for me to have and wear, too! After all, we both are in our Chicken Lady Era. 

I digress. We enjoyed every minute with mom and dad and talked and talked and talked. It was truly a visit that tattooed upon my heart just how much my family means to me. I marvel at this life we've lived together. We all know the struggles we've had that has strengthened us. We know very well our pain that has wisened us. We all spoke our truth, and received it from one another. Well, maybe dad didn't get as many words in as the rest of us. Yet, the four of us listened, loved and made repairs where we felt they were indicated. We made requests to one another. We gave support and hope in regards to what life may bring us, and had a silent and verbal understanding that we are here for one another no matter what the circumstances that fall upon us. Family is a blessing and not all blessings are comfortable all the time. And for us to sit in comfort - and discomfort - with one another is something we have come to realize is a gift for our family unit. To be able to see one another for who we each are, and love one another deeply despite each of our individual flaws, is the destination for which we all desire to reach. I'm grateful for each day I'm given - and for each day that I'm able to know and see and talk and email my mom and dad. We are imperfectly perfect. We are puzzle pieces that fit together to reflect a pink elephant in the middle of all the grey ones. We are uniquely us. Love you guys so much and the chicken ladies will be back for another visit soon, t-shirts and all.

 

These two

The best part of my weekends? You probably already know:

Y'all, just when I think I can't love these two more, I do. What is happening?! These two never care what I look like, how I'm dressed, if I'm wearing makeup, and what I have coming up in life. They care about spending time together. Being in that moment - not another moment. They love me for me and I love them for them, exactly as they are. They are safe to be authentically themselves without even knowing the world will tell them to be otherwise one day. That's why a grandma's house is always a safe and loving place. Just be you (because we reviewed it already 😊) everyone else is already taken. And these two show me how to live freely on the regular. 

Where is the Pause Time button?

Good night, Folks. Good night, Chickens ❤️

Why did it take me so long to realize the only approval I needed was my own. I can have as many chickens as I want. 

Love everything about that,

Cyndi

How many days in this day

Have you ever had one of those days where one day has felt like 2 days, or maybe even 3 days worth of life in one single day? Yeah, me too.

It all started with the day dawning on Oct 29, a Tuesday that I would be taking Brooks to the Dallas Zoo with my friend, Gina and her granddaughter, Lana (whose similar in age to Brooks). We have done this before and it's a blast every time. You see, Gina is a member of the Dallas Zoo and there's many perks that come with that, so our experience each time we go is like VIP palooza.  

Looking back on this day, I can remember that Lauren and I had spoke about me taking Olive to the zoo as well that day. Olive is 1 year and 3 months now, and we were discussing the pros and cons of a long drive and long day with a likely interruption in her nap time. We mulled it over and on that morning of the zoo day, Lauren and I decided that we should do it - and I'd take Olive along (with Brooks) for this fun day. It was a last minute choice and a good one it would be.

So here I am with a wagon in the back of my truck, a loaded up ice chest with drinks and snacks, and more snacks, and lots of snacks, along with lunches made and 2 kiddos. Brooks is super excited about seeing the zebra and tigers. He's full of energy and will have ample opportunity to release all that energy walking and running at the zoo. Olive on the other hand, was along for the ride and the snacks. 

As I'm driving to the Dallas Zoo, I get a call from Gina. She says she's had a change in plans and that she'd like to bring her 1 year and 8 month old granddaughter along with Lana, and that her daughter (parent of both girls) might come as well. Perfect. We'll have 4 kiddos instead of 2 and more hands on deck. I find this all so amazing that both Gina and I had a change of plans at the last minute of bringing another tiny human along with us both to the zoo. And what a joyous experience it would be.

She's here for the drinks.....

.....and snacks
And is terribly insure of what is
happening around her. 

So with wagon loaded with food, drinks, snacks, diapers and Olive, we make our way into the zoo with Brooks running circles around me. He is so excited that I realize I don't think I’ve see him this excited very often. It makes my heart happy.

We did just about everything at the Dallas Zoo that day. A big thanks to Gina for getting us the hookup, because each thing we encountered was free.99 and who doesn't love a VIP experience like that.

Brooks always love a train ride (Hi Gina!)

Nevermind the huge gorilla in the background

We all fed the birds

Olive was smitten with watching 
the animals

The giraffe feeding was incredible 

The babies had a blast!!

Olive's fav part was the water play area.
She got to strip down and play in this 
most awesome waterway kids area.

This sweet boy

We saw the lions, monkeys, birds, gorillas, elephants - and and and all the amazing animals! We ate, we drank, we ran around and we enjoyed the beauty of our friendships on a most gorgeous day. 

🦍We always save the carousel ride for last. It was Olive’s first time and her tiredness made her extra

 leary - as did the animal Brooks was on. 

5 hours later......it was time to head back home with 2 very tired kiddos. And you know what happens next. They were asleep on the car ride home, almost before I was out of the parking lot. 

I've got a zillion pictures from that day, yet the core memories in my mind are what I see the clearest. What a great day! 

Just then I thought the day was winding down

One would think this would be a time to settle down, get home and unwind, and reminisce on the days events. We had arrived home safely and even though Brooks and Olive would be heading back home after a bit, we settled back in at my house and enjoyed a little more time together there. It was delightful. 

Odd though. The water is off. Hum, I thought, I bet the water dept is working on a water issue and it'll be back on soon. I keep moving though the day not giving it another thought. Brooks only potty’s outside at the farm anyways. 😉 And, after all, this water outage thing happens now and again out here, no big deal. The kids and I are enjoying some time playing at the house and decompressing from our busy day.

Then, a call comes across my watch (not sure where my phone was in that moment) and it shows from "Mia's Mom". I miss answering it. Odd, did I accidentally call her? 

So I go find my phone all while Brooks and Olive are bouncing around the farm playing after our big day at the zoo. Ryan would be coming to pick them up in a bit. I hit the button to call Skylar back (Mai's Mom) and sure enough, she did call me.

Just to give a little back story and context to this, Mia was the stray dog I found on the side of the road back in July of this year. 

I had taken her into the vet a week later, where I found out she was chipped and her owners were called. I was sitting in the vet's office and the owners came and took her back. It was a odd exchange at the time, and something did not feel quite right about it all. The husband was cursing and unkind, the wife unsure and quiet. Both young folk. They left without hardly one word to me. They just walked out of the Vet Office with Mia - and never looked back. 

Later, I would call the vet office and ask for the owner's (Skylar) phone number. I would text her here and there to check on Mia. I know Skylar did not like me checking on her dog, but I felt a need to. Always telling her I'm here for her if she needs me.

Now, Skylar (Mia's Mom) is calling me crying. "I need to bring you Mia, will you take her?", she asks. Of course, yes, I tell her. Bring her now please. She says she'll be over soon, mumbling something about she had to move and she can't have dogs, and someone else has had Mia for a bit because of that, and Mia is not doing well, and lots of words are pouring out of her mouth like a rushing river. 

In the interim, Ryan picks up the kiddos and my next day in this same day starts. I am standing there wondering what is now happening. All while Skylar is heading over with Mia. What has really happened to Mia? I texted Skylar to see if an emergency vet visit is needed, as her phone call had seemed frantic and she was "warning" me that Mia was not in good shape at all. And she responds Yes, Mia needs medical help - and a bath. 

I immediately call my Vet. They are about to close the office for the day but will wait for Mia and I to arrive. Wow. 

Skylar arrives. I have leash ready for Mia who is covered in bloody feces, fleas and is skinnier than when I last had her/saw her in July. While I had been waiting for her to arrive, I had written out a rough adoption agreement of which Skylar had agreed to sign and officially turn Mia over to me. She signed it and I thanked her for reaching out to me. She immediately jumped back in her car and drove away. I, in turn, put Mia in my truck and got her up to the awaiting vet office.

She was now officially skin and bones.

Love this gals will to live

The kind and caring vet and office staff treated Mia like a queen, and told me all the next steps for her. They told me Mia would be okay with some time, food, water, medications and nurturing - and a much needed bath.

Then back home jiggity jig. This newfound journey of having Mia has now started. Mia's own healing journey can now begin. I decided to keep her given name, Mia, as she knows her name and responds well to it. So let's see, what first. Food ✔ Water ✔ Medications given ✔ But the bath......wait, I have no water as my water is still out. 

Frick. No water and a dog who desperately needs a bath. So I go to every facet I have and drain the water from each facet. I have a big bucket I'm accumulating water in, and I'm trying hard to get enough water to try and rinse her off with some Dawn (yes, it's that bad) and flea soap, too. This takes time. Lots of time, and I finally am able to get Mia to a point where she can find some relief. Many fleas killed on her skin, her feces and bloody mess is somewhat rinsed and I've done all I can as it's now approaching 11 pm. Still no running water. 

I settle Mia into a safe and sheltered area with a dog bed and she lays down after her most busy day. She's eaten, drank lots of water and is mostly clean. She's ready to rest.

Then I turn the attention on myself. I've been sweating at the zoo, bathing a smelly doggo and I need a shower. But I have still no water at the farm, so I decide I'll head up to the gym and use their shower. 

It feels like day 3 in this same day, as I make my way out in the world, late at night, to clean my own self up and have a much-needed shower. And Anytime Fitness is there for me. I love that place for many reasons, but on this night, they were my saving grace from a most busy day.

Everyone slept well that night. Brooks, Olive, Mia and myself all probably had a magical nights sleep. I know I did.

I went to work the next day to rest. It was work as usual, but yet, oddly, it was rest. 

And while the world keeps spinning, I am blessed to keep living this most amazing life of love and joy. Now, I have Mia back and I can officially stop looking for her on the side of the road. I've looked for her every day in that same spot on the side of the road as I drive back and forth from work since July. Every day I would look and search the side of the road, hoping and praying to see her there again. But never would I see Mia there on the side of the road. Instead, she would come find me. 

Now, since having Mia back in my life, I feel a freedom from the looking for her. I didn't realize how much I was searching the side of the road day in and day out - until I had her with me again - and then I realized I could stop looking for her. It was a relief and she is now home. I am most grateful and my intuition kept telling me that she would be back. I had to trust in that, and wait for her. It took great courage for Skylar to call and say what she said. Desperation does that to us and thank goodness for that. None of us can save everyone or every dog, but God has trusted me with Mia. 

Fun facts….

She’s 2 1/2 years old

Boxer mix

Sheds like crazy

Loves bones and 3 square meals a day please  

Fav new friends are Crazy Charlotte and Penny

Has a big bark and secretly wants to be a livestock guard dog too

Two weeks now, and her smile is everything.
In many ways, we've saved each other.

She has such a sweet and kind soul 💜
She's absolutely resilient after who-knows-what has
happened to her in her short 2 1/2 years of life.

Hard to believe the zoo fun was in this same day. And the getting (and care received and given) of Mia was in this same day. Then the getting of a shower for me was in this same day, despite no water at the farm. It all seemed like more than one day could hold. 

Yet, I love a 'Go, Man, Go' kind of day. 

Side note: And the water did come back on the next day in the afternoon…… seems a break in the main water line nearby took awhile to fix. 

All is well with my soul,

Cyndi

How’s Emerald, you ask?