Today's My Birthday

Today's my 47th birthday, so I thought I'd (try to!) start blogging again!

I haven't blogged for an AGE.  At least a year and a half, I think.  But I'm starting to feel like me again (due to a recent big change - stayed tuned), and so perhaps I'll find make the time to blog again on a regular basis.  I miss being a part of the blogging community.  And, for family and friends who want to keep an eye on me (smirk!), it sure is a great way to do it!

Should I invent a new name for this blog, this continuing saga of my life?  Or should I just simply call it 'Chicken Mama's Blog'?  I'm open to suggestions!!

So, a quick answer to "what are you doing these days, Chicken Mama?"  Primarily, I'm nannying and caretaking a VERY busy AirBnB.  Between those two jobs, I try to get 1 day off each week, but it more often works out to about 3 days off each month.  (In the crazy-busy summertime.)

 We had fun with silly phone apps today:

But that was AFTER we made old-fashioned strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries from Mama Pea's garden!

I still do some upkeep on the websites I built for local companies with my little web and graphic design business, but I do NOT advertise for new gigs.  While I know I'm good at that work, I just don't much enjoy it.  Besides, I still want to build MY website to sell my own and other local crafts.  Oh, for unlimited time and money . . . .

The twins and their big sister are doing really well.  They are 4 1/2 (already!) and 8 1/2, respectively.  I get them each Saturday, and my time with them is the highlight of my week!

I also got two new babies (in my life) this spring!  Both little boys, one born in March and one in May.  My "adopted daughter" and her hubby had a very successful home water birth with only a midwife and doulas, and then the mama of two of my other littles had her much-anticipated third son (there's almost 7 years between the middle kiddo and this little bundle)!

March Baby Boy

May Baby Boy

I've still not moved in to the trailer at the campground that my dear friend and her hubby run.  There are a few reasons for that.  While I have slept there a couple of times, I still don't have everything set up as it really needs to be.  Kitchen still not complete (refrig is grumpy, I need to get a new counter top set up to hold the appliances, sink leaks, blah, blah, blah), no furniture in the living room, etc., etc.

Then there was this spring's infestation of carpenter ants in the new, wood rear (bedroom) of the trailer.  That came after all the work that The Man did on the roof last fall FAILED (no fault of his own - just an old trailer with a flat roof), and the brand new mattress bought last year absorbed about 100 gallons of water from the winter's snowmelt.

And then I need to re-level the trailer after the winter's frost shifted it around a bit.  And move the LP tanks, get a longer line for them and hook the gas back up.

Despite all that, though, I have made it (barely) comfortable enough to have the kiddos there once in a while when I nanny.  Of course, those days are all sunny ones when the majority of the time is spent at the lake (that the campground is situated on)!

Because of my schedule and the fact that I'm now just one person (vs. the original plan of there being two of us living at the campground to help), I'm not taking over any portion of managing it (as once hoped).  I take care of the three outhouses, and that's about it.  I do nanny for free one day a week so the rather extensive grounds can be mowed by one of "my" mamas, and I feel good that I can do that to help the family cause.

So, my single state.  Probably, the less said the better.  But, after two years and as of last week, he's back in the big city 2 hours south of here - working in a slightly different capacity for the same organization he left when he moved up here.  I think it's a super good fit for him, and I think he will be much happier.

Happier.  Am I happier?  Yes!  As I tell the kids when they ask "what happened?", we just weren't meant for each other.  We had a good run, we both had high hopes, it didn't work out.  Pretty much end of story.

So, that's me right now!  Very busy but loving life.  Constantly looking for down time but taking each day at it comes.  (That sounds like I'm depressed.  No!  On the contrary!  Just busy - like we all are!)

Now for the real test . . . do I still have any readers?  Other than you, Mom (Mama Pea).  💟


Final random note:  Kitty (Jinx) brought me a frog in bed the other night.  I wasn't impressed.  It was better than a mouse, though.  And as long as it's not a spider, I almost don't care what she "presents" me with after her midnight wanderings!