I had no clue that I would stay even busier as a stay at home mom than I did when I was working. Of course, as you know from previous posts, I got 6 chicks and 2 ducklings the weekend after my last day of work. Since then, my oldest son got 2 chicks that are 11 weeks. Four bunnies also arrived for Easter. Unfortunately, three of them had apparently been weened too soon and developed diarrhea. I contacted a friend of mine from school who is a bunny breeder and she told me what I could do for them. We were giving them meds by mouth every night and the day we lost the first one, we started also giving them shots. Unfortunately, none of the sick ones made it. We also started babysitting a puppy for a friend who has a very sick little boy that cannot afford to be around any extra germs right now while he is heeling from surgery.
For those of you who weren't paying attention...a recap...The residents at my home went from myself, my husband, 4 sons, 2 dogs, and a cat to all of those and 8 chickens, two ducks, 1 bunny, and a puppy.
I have also helped my dad and step-mom go through some storage units (they own the business and they had some unpaid units). I scored clothes for my 21 year old step son, my husband, a friend's son, my cousin's baby girl, another friend's teen daughter, another friend's 3 young daughters, and a friend of mine's baby boy. I also managed to get a new desk for the little ones' room, a metal baker's rack that I plan to use in our future greenhouse, 2 nice picture frames, plastic drawer set, unopened stockpiled toiletries, a few board games, books for the 7 year old, Christmas ornaments, fold out TV tables, several plastic storage totes, old game system and components, video games, CDs, and DVDs. And, because my parents were able to get a new bedroom suite from the unit, they are giving us their old one!
I mentioned the future greenhouse. That is another score. A friend delivered us 17 glass doors (formerly sliding glass doors) for $50. Each are double paned, so when we take them apart, we will have 34 glass panels available to create a greenhouse. I am not sure when we will have a chance to buy the other supplies and actually get it built.
I have been couponing and I hit up a local meat sale and stocked up the fridge. I didn't have to grocery shop this weekend though because another wonderful friend of mine just started a very strict diet and gave me everything in her pantry and fridge that she could not eat instead of just throwing it all away.
Another activity I that has kept me busy is hunting for morel mushrooms. I am sad to say, I have had absolutely no luck! But, when walking with some friends of mine, I found a very old stacked rock home foundation and not far from it, my friend found a very old and very rusty plow that she was very happy to carry out of the woods. Yesterday, when I went in some more woods with my 16 year old, we found two very large coral fossils and some wild miniature irises. The ground was so soft, I was able to get some of the irises up by hand and I planted them temporarily in one of my raised garden beds.
It has been a busy few weeks but it has been a lot of fun and I have managed to get a lot of freebies!
