leaving

I came close to not leaving, and it was my fault.

Looking back, I blame being too well prepared too early. I had time this morning. Time to walk the muddy farmette lands, feed animals, sweep away messes...





Time to admire Mr. Happy, who has really stepped into his role as flock protector. When a pair of hawks flew overhead, he ushered the cheepers into the barn. May he always have a safe place for them on his daily rounds!






Time to smile at the cheeper invasion in the garage. Dance looks upset, but I have to say, the kittie can scoot away at any time. She chooses to stay put and talk to them ("this is my blanket!").






Time to take note of Whiskers. He'd been absent for a few days. He makes a fleeting appearance today.






Time for a leisurely breakfast with my loyal breakfast companion. Come rain or shine, he is there, across the table from me.





As we approach late morning, I realize that I have attended to all things on my mental predeparture list. And I have two and a half hours before I have to pick up Snowdrop. So I go for broke: I decide to do one quick visit to the doctor that I'd been postponing. May as well get it out of the way. It's not necessary -- I've had this check up numerous times in the past and I've always gotten an all clear, but I thought -- what the heck: I have the time, go for it.

The doc comes in to the examining room, looks me in the eye and says -- is it true that you have a flight to catch in a few hours?
Uh huh...
Do you know that after the tests, if there is any ambiguity -- which there well may be, even if there are no issues, you cannot board an airplane today?
Uh no...

I almost walked out. But I didn't  - he seemed so serious about the state of my health that I succumbed to the "needed" tests and waited. And waited. And minutes before I just had to leave to pick up Snowdrop, he came in and said -- as it happens, you're good to go. No ambiguity.

He almost sounded regretful. Like I deserved a rap on my knuckles for waiting 'til the last minute (or not showing up at all). Still, in the end, he changed his tone, wished me a good trip and I flew out of there to pick up a cheerful little girl.

(At the farmette, she asks Ed if we could leave the eggs to hatch. She knows that the presence of a rooster may lead to fertilized eggs. From that, it's a hop skip to having babies.)

Snowdrop, we have six chickens already! (I did not say that this may be six too many...)
Just one little one? Just one?
 





I would do many many things to make my grandkids happy. Adding another chicken to the flock is not one of those things.

(Besides, she is already very happy.)





Snowdrop's visit is short. I have a flight to catch!

The airport is crowded. Flights have been diverted here from Chicago, people are scrambling to pick up connections. My own plane has a problem with a roof that has come loose and so we, too, are late. But not too late for me. I have an amply adequate connecting time in Detroit. Tomorrow I should be in Warsaw.