Knocking Down the Chicken House!

Hello Blogger friends!  Wow...two blogs within two weeks....the juices must be flowing!  Well, actually, not really, but I had to write about my escapades today. And just so you know, as I am writing this, I am sitting in chicken poop dust-crusted clothes...waiting for the next truck to come. So imagine the smell that goes with this.  Too bad I can't incorporate smells into the blog....or, maybe that's a good thing!

It is day two of me running the skid loader.  Only today did not go quite as smoothly.  We were in the other chicken house today..and the feeders and water lines are lower than in the other house.  I was being so careful, but still trying to show a little more confidence than the last time.  Now really....it was my second time, not my first...I should know what I am doing, right?  Well, I did do good until Rod had to direct me to the other side of the poop.  He put a feeder up in one spot and then in another...for me to go through to get to where I was supposed to be.  He said to be careful not to run the bucket into the wall. I was very careful. I did not hit the wall.  So feeling even more confident, I went to make the second turn back in towards the middle.  I was watching the feeders, and not hitting a single one. Then..BUMP! I looked down and the bucket hit a pole!! Oh, no! Oh, my! And Rod watching this the whole time!! Oh, no! Oh, my!  And I didn't just bump it a little...nope...I knocked it out!! OH, NO! OH, MY!  I watched the pole fall down...toward me...and just watched...not thinking it could have hit me.  Nope, that was not my worry at all!  I was more concerned about the roof above Rod!  So I looked at him.  And he looked at me.  And he smiled! Yep, he smiled at me and said it was ok, he had done that before too.  Here I was waiting for the roof to sag or cave or do something, and he just smiled at me, picked the pole up and put it back.

Needless to say, after that, I was back to a lot less confidence...going forward and backward much more slowly.  I was flustered and jittered (I know that isn't really a word, but again...I like it, and I am using it!) I was so happy when we were done with those piles.

So, now, I have to go out to do it again....push poop I mean, not knock any more polls! I hope we all survive! hahahahaha  No, really, say a prayer!!!!!

So, until next time...if I make it through for a next time.....eat more chicken!

A New Job

Hello, my blogger friends!  Yep...you guessed it...a new job for me... pushing chicken poop! I LEARNED TO DRIVE A SKID LOADER TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a picture...

Now..remember...this is BEFORE we started to actually work. I was clean and I didn't have my mask on yet. Yes, I did wear a mask just like my friend Marjorie told me to! 

 I was so excited to learn to drive the skid loader today that I did not sleep well last night, and also, I had to go to the bathroom at least THREE times before I even had to go out to the chicken houses..which was at six this morning! THREE times! I usually only go three times from morning until afternoon on a normal day.  Then when I got out there, I wished I had gone again....I was excited and nervous about how I would do.  Rod does things in a particular way, and I did not want to disappoint him.  I also went another three times after the first truck was loaded, while we were waiting for the truck to come back for the second load! Not that you all needed to know that...just trying to make a point on how my nerves were handling this new adventure!

So, like I said...I never drove one of these before.(I did sit in one once when no one was looking though...just for the fun of it and to satisfy my curiosity.)  Rod even had to show me how to turn it on. He said that once in the chicken house, I would have to rev it up faster...I just kept it on turtle speed outside...(see how big and brave I am? hahaha) I was having fun outside..that wasn't too hard.  Rod said to practice lifting the bucket up and down and dumping it.  I thought it was just for fun, but I found out later that I should have practiced that quite a few more times!  I had to actually do that in the chicken house...with a low roof above me! And in the chicken house, we had to put the skid loader up closer to rabbit speed...no more turtle!

I will say, Rod was very patient...and encouraging.  I didn't break any lights! or break any feeders or break any waterlines! And I don't think I knocked any poles!  I did however keep getting the controls mixed up...like putting the bucket up and down and dumping.  I put the bucket down too far sometimes that it actually lifted the skid loader up.  I thought that was kind of fun after I realized what I was doing.  Also....I am not sure about my feelings of running over a pile of poop while going backwards and feeling like the skid loader was tipping over! I was glad when I got back far enough off the poop pile to be back level again.  Afterwards I laughed, but not during! 

Here are some things I learned today.....

         1.  Skid loaders are not the easiest thing to get into if you have short legs..like I do. 

         2.  Water and food do not taste as good after pushing chicken poop until you brush your teeth...even if you do wear a mask.

         3.  When your husband says practice putting the loader's bucket up and down...he doesn't mean for  your enjoyment..there is another reason...like you are going to have to know how to do it!

         4.  You will look like you have been drinking afterwards, because your eyes burn a bit from the dust    and manure.

         5.  Get a cute hat.  I want a pink one maybe.  When I washed my hair...well, lets just say it was pretty  gross.  I washed it twice! Your hair will still get dirty with a hat, but I think it would be better. (I did however remember to wear my chicken earrings...I mean really, how many opportunities do you have to wear chicken earrings?!?)

         6.  I LOVED driving the skid loader!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know I am not very good at it,  but it was so fun! 

Here is what I looked like afterwards.....

        Nice and dirty and VERY stinky!!! The truck had an air hose thing that we used to blow off some of the dust...that helped quite a bit! 

 Rod said we loaded 48 tons of chicken poop!!  WooHoo for us!  Oh, and by the way...you can see my chicken earrings in these two pictures! :)  I know the pictures aren't very good ones, but really....who looks good after cleaning up chicken manure?!?

So, until next time...or my next adventure....EAT MORE CHICKEN!!!