Waiting for the third shoe to drop…

Morning Facebook Notification from PUD – 11/23/2021

I know I’m mixing metaphors here but, so far, it’s a day that seems to require a bit more than usual in the realm of expectations and portents.

First, shortly after the alarm went off, the power followed suit.  Went off, that is.  Not an optimum time in most households, I’d say.  Coffee to make, toilets to flush, showers to take.  All reminders of how soft and dependent we have become.  Though, truly, we didn’t need this outage, so hard on the heels of the last two, for us to renew our concerns for the long, dark winter ahead.

Fortunately (and thanks to our dedicated PUD workers), we were back up and running within a couple of hours and I hied myself out to the chickens to bid them good morning.  Slutvana and Little Red Hen were waiting eagerly by the gate to the coop, but no sign of Clara.  I was at once relieved and concerned when I looked into the coop and saw her standing uncertainly by the door to the ramp.  Now that I was there, she started down — with difficulty, I thought, and I noticed that she had a poopy butt which is never a good sign.

“Pprrrtt”

Of course,  as soon as I opened the gate, Slutvana and LRH dashed out into the yard after the cracked corn I tossed about for them.  But, not Clara.  She stayed in the run, looking at me with dull eyes.  I told her I was sorry she didn’t feel well.  I hope it’s just a bit of indigestion but, honestly, I’m concerned.  Farmer Nyel says we’ll just have to wait and see.  That’s the way it is with chickens.

So… what else will this day bring?  I’m a great believer in things happening in threes.  I’m not sure if I can count the roller doors on the woodshed getting stuck right after I had my visit with Clara.  It’s not that big a deal — usually.  But right after they froze up (in the open position) here came the rains.  Torrential for a few moments.  The good news was that it came straight down so the wood was safe and dry.

Maybe it’s just going to be that kind of day.  Or that kind of week until we can say “goodbye” to November.  Perhaps, eventually, we can look back on 2021 as the year with the difficult autumn that, ultimately, paved the way for an easy winter to follow.  We can but hope.

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