Sunday, July 27th… More work to do and today’s the day!!

Today, I plan to put some plywood on gable ends and across the underside of the low roof to close off the chicken coop area of the barn. When we are done today, the barn will take on a whole new look………one that will be more like the end result than any picture posted to date. I’m looking forward to finishing off the outside, so we can concentrate on the inside finishing work, like framing out the stalls for the donkeys or sheep. making the egg boxes and perches for the birds. Completing the feed room and getting the egg refrigerator in there and working, that way all the eggs will be there along with the egg boxes & chickens . We’ll carry the duck & chicken eggs from the other house to the barn daily and add them to the ones from the chickens in the barn enclosure.

Last night, or actually early this morning, the dogs were especially restless, jumping up and down off of the bed and they just wouldn’t calm down. Finally, the reason presented itself, as I gradually heard the thunder grow louder and louder from an approaching storm. The dogs hate thunder and have actually related it to the flash of light preceding the boom. When a flash of lightning streaks across the sky, they run or bark, knowing the thunder boom is soon to follow. It really poured for awhile before dropping off to a steady rain, then a sprinkle and then the sound of falling rain was drowned out by the bedroom air conditioner. I knew it was over because the dogs bedded down again and everything returned to the early morning tranquility we’re used to at 3:00 AM. When you have a dog, something could possibly get past them or something could happen that they might miss if sleeping, but have five dogs and NOTHING ever goes undetected. I don’t care if it’s a thunderstorm passing in the distance, a deer or opossum passing in the yard or someone in the driveway…… one of the five dogs will hear it and alert the others to bark incessantly until either Vick or I acknowledge their presence. It is really a blessing to have such a special and reliable burglar alarm. Right now 3/5 of our alarm are snoozing on the rear deck and the other 2/5 are keeping Vick safe upstairs. What more could we want or possibly ask for?