Good Belgian Beer and Olives

The weekend was another busy one -- as usual, a mix of schoolwork and chores around the house.  There is absolutely no way around the fact (at least for me) that for me to keep my class running as I think it should, that I take home work to do in the evenings and over the weekend.  That's just the way it is.  However, I'm really working to at least balance the school workload with the home workload.  Not surprisingly, after a morning spent reading and critiquing students' Writer's Notebooks, mundane tasks such as sweeping the floors, and wiping down and rearranging a few kitchen cabinets take on pleasurable aspects.  I like that. 

Even cleaning out the chicken coop (we waited way too long to do this) was a satisfying job.  Bruce carted out all of the soiled straw and then used the leaf blower to try to get some of the dust dislodged (I think that it all relodged on me where I stood outside).  Then I washed down the outside with the hose, knocked down dangling cobwebs from the perches and then swept as much from the floor as I could.  Then I shook out and spread armloads of fresh straw, filling each nestbox and then scattering a thick layer on the floor.  As I stood back to view the result, I was filthy, wet and tired.  And thoroughly content.  When my favorite yellow hen promptly settled in a clean nestbox and immediately laid a lovely brown egg, my day was complete. 

                                                      Well, alright, almost complete.