Saturday Bliss

I've said it so many times before - would we appreciate the weekend if we did not dwell in employment entrapment during the week? I don't know, but I'm enjoying this. I should be rushing to the feed mill now to get there before it closes, but if I give the chickens cracked corn and "fitting" (which they love) I can get away with it. They might not lay two dozen eggs a day without their layer mash, but I can do without that many eggs for a week. I gave four dozen to a student to take home yesterday, and stocked the other kitchen on our floor. I have several dozen in my room to use. I was going to make quiche with my culinary arts student but he's been absent. I'll get other students to do it and we'll have marvelous aromas wafting through the floor. Yesterday we took some students out to celebrate Santana's GED diploma. We hate to see her go but she already has an interview at her mom's insurance firm. What joy for her and all concerned. She's our only GED completion this year, but we are almost there on another one. Robin and I treated the students to a pizza lunch, which was a lot of fun until the ranch dressing was poured over the pizza. Drowning good pizza in ranch dressing is an upstate New York tradition, and one that makes me gag. Thick salad dressing is so BAD for you, and watching good pizza ruined like that is disgusting. I thought we would get away without it yesterday, but Robin ran to get Santana her ranch dressing from the salad bar. I made the mistake of commenting on it, offending their regional pride I'm sure. Oh, well, I may live in the barn with the sheep but I will always be the snob from New Jersey. Not a problem. We moved on to the cute little head shop/pet store across the Main St. in Norwich, where Santana fell in love with a guinea pig. There were lovely tropical birds there, including one love bird who was grieving horribly for his mate who was sold three weeks ago! He kept shrieking into the air, calling and calling for the lost friend. I asked the proprietor why he didn't sell them as a pair, and he said he tried. At $75 each, I can almost understand it, but how cruel, and how perplexing he has not yet supplied the poor little thing with another bird friend. I noticed he was selling Red Slider turtles, which are wild animals. I thought that was illegal. Not wanting to start something in front of my students I let it go. I used to pick them up on the road to save them from cars and bring them home to my farm until I found out they are not an indigenous turtle species and are terribly invasive. The Red Slider will drive out the local turtles. I adore turtles but the most I have seen around my farm and this area are giant snappers! Their presence makes swimming in my pond even more exciting. Back to work. I have several bags in process of construction. My new soap mold box is finished. After at least ten years of wishing and hoping I finally called the number of a local carpenter. A week later I have my rigid wooden box, which will hold up the half-gallon milk cartons without allowing them to bow out. A school friend made me one a couple of years ago but it broke the first time I used it. Mark Jones, the carpenter, promised me that this box is "glued and screwed" and won't bust open. I hope to try it out today. Now my bars will be square without my having to trim them and think of things to do with the trimmings. This cold, clear, windy and sunny day is awasting. Better get to it.