UGH!

Happy Monday, dear reader. As the new week begins, the deep freeze that settled over Western Pennsylvania is on its way out. We are happily looking forward to temperatures near or exceeding fifty degrees this week, and I am ecstatic. I have been awake since 3 a.m. I made an extensive to-do list for the week and am confident my plans will be thwarted.

The Bean awoke at 5 a.m. with a fever of 102. She is exhausted after a busy weekend of performing in her high school musical. When my daughter is exhausted, it often leads to illness. I knew she would go down with all the flu and viruses spreading like wildfire. Very rarely does The Bean cry. She came downstairs this morning crying and informing me, "Mommy, I feel like sh**!" She only calls me mommy when she is miserable, wants something she knows I will probably say no to, or she is hurt. Sigh. I am so ready for spring for more reasons than you can imagine.

After I take The Bean to the doctor, I hope to minimize my extensive to-do list. Our frozen milk supply for soap-making is down to almost nothing. So, my duties in the studio are minimal. We will pack orders, clean up, take inventory, prepare for upcoming seasonals, and plan our spring farm event. However, there will be minimal soap production until our milk supply is restored, but this won't happen until after the babies come. By mid-April, we should have abundant milk to make moisturizer and soap.

I fully anticipate my bib overall-wearing buddy will commence twitching about soap inventory in the next few weeks. It's what he does. The man is a workaholic and isn't happy unless he is "knocking out at least four batches of soap a week." That is his self-imposed quota. I smile and go along with his schedule. However, truthfully, we have enough soap to last us for months. Aside from running out of moisturizers in a month or so, I believe we can successfully fulfill orders until milk is replenished.

At the top of my to-do list is cleaning my chicken coop. My little backyard flock has spent more time than usual inside the coop, and it shows. My coop, which rarely has an odor, smells like it needs a good cleaning. I plan to schedule the coop cleaning on the day The Bibbed Wonder wants to clean the barn and stalls. One day filled with manure is enough for this farmer's wife.

The barn and stalls must be cleaned to prepare for new babies, which will arrive in just a few weeks. I must also check to make sure our kidding supplies are fully stocked. We give our girls an electrolyte mix after they give birth to help them recover. We also err on the side of caution and provide the girls with a drench of propylene glycol to deter them from going into ketosis. We have experienced this with Mama Boo after she gave birth to quads, and it was frightening. We also provide the girls with a shot of oxytocin to help them more easily pass the afterbirth and bring their milk in if they are first-year moms. Anything we can do to aid the girls in their aftercare and protect them from illness is worth the effort. Kidding season is exciting but also the most dangerous and frightening time of year for the herd.

I am praying the weather remains mild for the kidding season. Cold temperatures are brutal on everyone. March is coming in like a lamb, and I hope it stays warm and mild. The last thing the girls need is cold stress during kidding season. If I'm being transparent, the last thing any of us wants is to be in sub-zero temperatures for hours. Warmer, gentler temperatures make the process easier for everyone.

That is what my week is looking like, dear reader. First and foremost, a trip to the pediatrician today is a must. I am hoping The Bean doesn't share her flu germs with us. The Lysol wipes are out; the Lysol spray has been sprayed, and I am pushing fluids, ibuprofen, and Oscillococcinum to help her feel better. Later, I will make her a pot of chicken noodle soup. As I care for her needs, I will peck away at my to-do list, staying close and ensuring she rests.

On this lovely, warmer February day, stay safe, be smart, stay healthy, complete your to-do list, and wash your hands for the love of all that is holy!