THE Tome and Chickens

Oooo, I finally got it. That crazy-huge tome of Anne Frye's. It looks like it should contain ancient Hobbit secrets and instructions on how to find the Holy Grail.
I've been coveting this book since it came out a 2 years ago. I bought it from a friend who has pulled out of birth work.
It's visually as daunting as NARM's Portfolio Evaluation Process.

We had a decent weekend. Took my motorcycle to my MIL's for the winter and picked up the deep freezer that hasn't been plugged in for 5+ years. Gotta get ready for the chickens. My husband works with a guy who is friends with another guy who is a good farmer, a slacker, and a pothead. Apparently he hasn't the slightest inclination to get a regular job, but he's great with animals, even if he is stoned half the time. We bought in on a batch of 60 chicks, have helped to buy their food, and build their shelter and soon they will be ready to be "processed". So we needed a freezer for our 20 chickens. So we'll have 20 free-range, healthy, fresh birds by the first week of October. I said from the start that I would not be a part of the processing. My husband and his friend think they're going to kill, pluck, and process 60 birds in a day. Yeck. I'm calling around today to see if we can pay someone to do it. So far, all they've come up with is cow, pig, and deer processing. No one likes to do chickens. I've been told that's because you can't get the ammonia smell of their shit off your hands for a week after processing. Not for me, thank you.
I'm also squeamish about cooking these birds. I was a vegetarian for nearly 8 years before eating meat again. And the meat I eat is fairly straight forward. I don't deal with bones because they make me sick. I buy chicken breasts, ground turkey, and fancy chicken sausages. That's about the extent of it. The Polack in me loves some kielbasa now and then (and I know that's full of nasty things), but at least that doesn't have bones to contend with.
I hate Thanksgiving turkey only because of having to stick my arm inside the carcass to get out the plastic bag of goodies, and that vile neck. SHUDDER! And I've accidently cooked that plastic bag of goodies inside the turkey countless times.
And I ALWAYS wear latex gloves when flipping a bone-bird around. Oh dear. I better get a little tougher. 20 damn chickens.

The egg-layers come in at the end of this week.

Little E has been taken to the library with a friend and their son. How nice. I've cleaned my house, made apple walnut scones and wasted time on the internet.

There's a Birth Network conference Friday I plan on attending. Will be a long day, but I'm looking forward to it. I'm on call to help a friend for her 2 clients, but only for the weekend. Hopefully that won't get in the way of the conference. I'm all about talking birth all day while munching on free bagels and coffee.