Majestic Diary

January 25, 2008

A typical day in the Link household. . .

5:30 a.m. Alarm clock goes off. Brush teeth, put in contacts, pull on sweats, go downstairs and pack Isabel's lunch and my lunch. Pull on muck boots, put on coat and gloves and stuff coat pockets with car keys, barn keys and remote for barn flood lights. Carry purse, my lunch bag and Isabel's backpack outside to the car. Warm the car and then head down to the barn. Provide fresh water to ducks inside the barn, top off food and lay down fresh hay. Go to the outside pens and put down fresh hay and rotate ducks--so everyone gets a turn on the pond. Do a quick check on every bird.

6:00 a.m. Shut off the car and re-enter the house. Go downstairs to the infirmary with Tutter's pills. Update his med chart. Freshen up his hay, food and water and give him his medication. Visit for a few minutes. Head upstairs, make a complete change of clothes, do quick hair and make up.

6:10 a.m. Isabel's alarm goes off. Encourage her out of bed, to brush teeth and get into school clothes. Spend at least ten minutes combing out her beautiful spiral curls.

6:30 a.m. Help Isabel practice her sight words and tying her shoes before school.

6:50 a.m. Out to the car with Isabel, off to her morning daycare before Kindergarten.

7:05 a.m. Leave the elementary school and drive an hour to my "real" job at the office.

8:00 a.m. My work day "begins."

2:00 p.m. Handle any grocery/necessity shopping on my lunch break.

2:30 p.m. Lunch ends. Return to work.

4:30 p.m. My work day "ends."

5:30 p.m. Arrive home. Bring any groceries, etc. into the house. Is it a Daisy Scout night? If so, feed Isabel dinner and drive her to her scout meeting. If not, get Isabel settled and then proceed down to the barn with Tony. Top off all outside heated water buckets and replace all indoor (non-heated) water buckets. Top off all food dishes and refresh all hay. Check on each flock member individually. Feed the barn cats, lock up the barn and pens.

6:00 p.m. Re-enter the house. Cook dinner for family. While they eat, I turn on the computer and download emails for the day. Go downstairs to greet Tutter in the infirmary. Refresh his food, water and hay and then give him his nightly medication. Update his med chart.

6:15 p.m. Come upstairs and start replying to the day's emails. Attend to any bookkeeping.

6:30 p.m. Take my shower, then get Isabel into the shower, wash her hair, get her dried, dressed and teeth brushed. If it's a Daisy Scout night, go to get Isabel and bring her home for her shower and bedtime routine.

7:00 p.m. Tuck Isabel into bed. Eat dinner.

7:30 p.m. Finish replying to the day's emails and handle any website updates.

8:00 p.m. Time to relax with Tony and play a little "Mass Effect" on the Xbox 360.

8:30 p.m. Go downstairs and say good-night to Tutter.

8:45 p.m. Go up to bed and watch a little chic t.v.

9:00 p.m. Tony comes up stairs for some together time.

9:30 p.m. Sleep

Addendum: If it snows, get up every 1-2 hours throughout the night (rotating turns with Tony), go outside and beat snow off of the aviary nets as needed.

6:00 a.m. Morning Kindergarten is usually cancelled on snow days.  Let Isabel sleep while we shovel snow away from the gates and doors and shovel paths for the birds to walk on.

7:00 a.m. Feed Isabel breakfast, get her settled, go back outside to finish clearing snow and to sand down the pens, so they are not slippery. Take turns coming inside to check on Isabel.

9:00 a.m. Come inside, eat breakfast. Either Tony or myself heads off to work. Other parent stays home with Isabel and collapses.

11:00 a.m. Get Isabel ready for afternoon daycare. Get ready for work.

12:00 a.m. Drop off Isabel at afternoon daycare and then drive to the office for a half day of work.

Isabel practicing her shoe-tying

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