Fish Pedi

Thanks to a generous gift from my boss, Mom and I experienced something only "city folk" could think up...a fish pedicure.  Perhaps you've seen it on the Today Show or Good Morning America, or perhaps you've never heard of it before and your shaking your head already.  A fish pedicure involves your bare feet, a tub of water, and a large family of hungry, sharp-toothed fish.  Think piranha on a gold-fish sized level.  Okay, so perhaps it wasn't quite that severe, but it was definitely an experience.

Once we were over the first shock of the extreme tickling sensation, we were able to sit back and relax against the waterfalls.

The fish especially loved Mom's feet...yum yum.

After twenty minutes of being submerged with our hungry little friends, we were then ushered to two thrones.  Mom had never had a pedicure before, so her Ooohs and Aaaahs entertained the Vietnamese ladies working on our feet.  We had forty-five minutes of relaxation, and then they painted our now very soft feet.

We must have looked like we needed some extra pampering because they offered coffee, tea, and soda.  RELAXATION at its finest.

After the pedicure, we had manicures, and whuuaaalah.  We're now complete...or are we now beautiful?  One of the two...or maybe both.

Taking a Break

I'll be taking a break from from blogging .  You'll have to check out other blogs for entertainment or boredom (whichever you get out of this one) for a while.

Correction

My last Chicken tip was incorrect, brought to my attention from none other than Judy West Nelson.  Please excuse my lack of research and statement that in order to have eggs, you must have a Rooster.  I stand corrected--in order to have chicks, you must have a rooster, but hens will lay yummy eggs without their man.

Here, Chik chik chik

In honor of Mrs. Kara West, I'd like to share some simple ways to take care of chickens. After all, you yourself may also find six chickens in your backyard some day! Here's to farming!
1. While chickens are capable of finding their own food (bugs and seeds in the ground), they do require some additional nutrient supplement. No, Cliff bars won't work. Sprinkle Scratch in their pen along with your kitchen scraps (fruit, veggies, and bread). Don't forget to provide water.
2. Do you like long walks on the beach? So do they--but they prefer your yard. Don't keep your chickens cooped up all day. Consistently allow them to roam free. You'll find their eggs to be healthier and tastier. A happy, exercised chicken = yummy scramblers.
3. Winter weather can be difficult. You won't find chicken sweaters and booties at Petco, so you will need to take extra precaution to keep your feathered friends from freezing. Cover the pen and the coop windows with plastic to limit drafts. During the day, allow your chickens out of the coop. If you don't, they will quickly tire of each other and fight with their siblings.
4. Hungry? No eggs? Simple. Place a plastic egg or golf ball in the fresh nest. Your gal will get the idea. I wonder if this works with husbands..."Heather, what's this baby doll doing on my pillow?"
5. Most importantly, and especially for Kara, if you would like your hens to produce eggs, you do need a rooster. Can't live with 'em, but certainly can't live without 'em!

Vote YES for Bundling

Jesse and I woke up extra early this morning to carry ourselves to the voting booths (our first time voting at a booth and not on an absentee ballot or Oregon's paper ballots). We bundled in our wool coats to protect against the chilly 37 degrees, and of course we rewarded ourselves with a cup of coffee.
Gloves and scarves have made their way to the front of the closet once again as the temperature drops. In just a few days, the 60s have turned into 50s, and it's almost too cold to keep our windows open at night. People at work laugh at me when I bundle up to venture out for lunch, saying "You're from Oregon, you should be used to this cold." Don't they realize I haven't lived in a cold climate for over 7 years??? I will wear my layers proudly!

Scribbles

Some afternoons call for a coloring session, and yesterday was one of them. Football, snack size snickers, and a box of crayons. Doesn't get much better than that.