We’ve been having family ju-jitsu nights.
No one here is trained in ju-jitsu.
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I’ve been retired for a while, so no work “furlough”. I moved onto my boat a few years back and I’ll be getting it ready for spring cruising. I’ll be continuing my volunteer work at the local food bank and a LOT more work for meals on wheels locally for the regulars and many new shut-ins. Books to read, walks to take, dog to throw a ball for. Pretty much my usual day.
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By the end of this pandemic I shall be able to touch my toes 
My free time has been spent…
- cleaning out my basement, which I did 2 weeks ago. My oldest help me.
- In the process of cleaning out the garage so we can get the cars in there again.
- Started my training back up, had a stress reaction in my foot a few weeks ago. The hope is to train with my XC kids in the fall(if we have a XC season) and to run in my first masters (I turn 40 in the summer) indoor track meet.
- Online training
- weed and feed part of my yard and put down soil and seed for the rest. Got a few weeds and patch areas, mostly in the back yard.
Don’t get me wrong I’m still working from home and about to get on the clock now.
Three days off. Repeat I have three days off!!!
I’ve literally worked 12 hrs shifts 13 of the past 15 days.
I’m grateful on the one hand that my income hasn’t been affected but I am damn sick of going to work for 12 hrs every day with only 2 days off total in the last 15 and neither together. I worked 6 12’s, 1 day off, 2 12’s, 1 day off, and just finished 5 12’s.
And I’m getting tested for Covid in the next few days as I had to deal up close and personal with someone who claims to be Covid postive and was exhibiting some symptoms though I think he was just withdrawing from heroin. Am I bad person for hoping I end up being one of the positive folks without symptoms just so I can get a couple of weeks of paid quarantine? I’m so tired of going to work.
“Am I a bad person for hoping I end up being one of the positive folks without symptoms just so I can get a couple of weeks of paid quarantine?”
After 13 12 hour days, no. Don’t blame you a bit.
I’m actually hoping my arthritis is painful enough to qualify for a leave of absence so I don’t have to worry as much about furlough (can’t be done to employees on medical or family leave in particular).
Just past three weeks of age on the chicks. Probably going to caponize around the middle of May. They will be in the incubator in the house for at least 3 more weeks, before I can move them out to the barn.
I ended up not being tested after all since they decided if I wasn’t showing symptoms no need. Though in a comic bit of overreaction my employer decided this week we must wear masks 100% of the time even if we are alone in our office or vehicle. I get while dealing with the public but when by ourselves???
Today is my last day of 4 12s straight and will then actually get my normal 4 12’s off for the first time in over a month. Thank Zeus.
I’m on a 4 on 4 off schedule.
Well, we have to wear masks onsite now. Not a problem since I’ve used them before, but just one minor annoyance—I cannot wear contacts or go uncorrected, and glasses fog a bit.
Oh well. Got some good news, at least for the next three months.
Am not included in any furlough, and can do a little bit of flexible scheduling.
I’m happy 
Just don’t exhale.
Of course then you don’t need the mask either. 
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Working on a new project…A curly maple console/ sideboard table…Gotta love buying rough cut lumber, love finding a diamond in the rough…
Now just trying to figure out a suitable process for using India Ink for a wood finish…Never used it before…The person wants a black top and brown base.
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Jersey Giants chicks reach 5 weeks of age on Monday. Looking like they will be a go for caponization after they reach 6 weeks of age on Monday, May 4. Thankfully my daughter learned the art of caponization so I will have some help with 23 birds. 
The single hen is going to get to live a while. Since they are rather slow at filling out, we will just enjoy the eggs in the meantime. Likely will slaughter the capons at 10 months of age.
The Beagle litter is 5 weeks old and they are a handful. They have made their first trips outside into the run. The Labradors are not far behind, they will be heading outside any day now. I will have both litters until at least the first week of June. Getting to the stage where it truly will be an adventure. Will be introducing my Jack Russell’s to the litters pretty soon.
So basically I have a zoo going on for the next month.
My daughter(eldest daughter) has a few chickens and when 1 or 2 die off she will get 3 or 4 chicks to replace them. Usually Rhode Island Reds.
She gets them for eggs. She has 4 young chickens at the moment. Hasn’t put them in with the older chickens yet.
I raise chickens both for meat and eggs. I switch up the breeds from time to time. The Jersey Giants that I have right now are going to be caponized soon. A Jersey Giant Rooster can be expected to reach 13 to 15 pounds live weight at slaughter. Capons are reputed to reach 20 pounds live weight at slaughter. We shall see.
Today (Monday, May 11) is seven weeks of age for the chicks. I plan on moving them from the house to the barn next Monday and hopefully caponizing them all by Tuesday or Wednesday. I have been taking them outside for increasingly long periods and once they go out to the barn, they will be in mobile foraging coops part of the day, which I can push to different areas of my makeshift pasture. They are already pretty good sized and fully feathered.
The eight White Leghorns that I bought locally are laying decently, but not the usual output I expect. I normally order chicks by mail from Murray McMurray or Cackle Hatchery, but since I needed them to lay immediately, bought locally this time.
I am turning my 600 sqft garage into a woodworking shop with one side fixed tools like table saw, miter stand and drill press with base cabinets and french cleats along all the walls…
the other side the items like band saw, wood storage and asembly table will be on wheels so i can clear the bay in case i need to work on a vehicle…
Then i am building a shed attached to the back of the garage to store my dust collector and running tubing along upper conrners to connect to all the tools and a connection in the center i can connect a shop vac hose…
I make tactical hidden shelves, growth rulers and stove top covers, among other things, to finance it all…
I also buy shop tools like jointers and sanders in bad condition for cheap, fix them up and sell them for 2-3 times what i paid for them…
The chicks are 8 weeks old today and we took them out to the barn this morning. They are at the point now where they can handle the ambient outside temperatures, although the barn is kept at least at 50 degrees if outside temperatures fall below that.
The Beagle puppies are also at 8 weeks, but I will have them them at least 1 or possibly 2 more weeks before they go back to the shelter for spay/neuter and adoption. Both they and the Labrador puppies had the run of the entire house this morning. 12 puppies and 4 adult dogs running around the house unchecked was interesting. But got to get the little stinkers socialized. Been a few accidents but they are getting the idea house breaking.
Tomorrow morning, we are going out bright and early to caponize the chicks.
Caponized all 23 birds this morning, looks like we didn’t kill any in the process. It actually went very quickly with my daughter and I splitting the birds up. Usually if you screw up and nick an intestine, it shows up within a few hours. So we now officially have 23 capons going.
For anybody unfamiliar, a capon is a castrated cockerel. They don’t develop combs or waddles, don’t display territorial or mating behavior and don’t crow. Instead they are very laid back and slow moving. The result is that the capon has a high amount of very tender and flavorful meat, which is marbled and layered with fat. Extremely good roasting bird.
The capons that you get at the supermarket do not compare to pasture raised capons. In the pasture the birds get insects and grubs in addition to their normal feed, which results in a much better flavor.
